Morning!
Some excerpts, as usual, from Ken:
The final sentence of the fifth paragraph (5) “is the central theme of the Introduction, articulated throughout: The lessons represent the truth to which we bring our needs, concerns, and problems; and whatever time we give to the practice will suffice, if it is time we truly want to spend.
This is the wisdom of our right minds – the home of the Holy Spirit – and is expressed primarily in understanding we are never upset for the reason we think (W-pI.5). We are upset only by our resistance to the truth, not the projections onto people and circumstances. Such understanding of the true nature of the problem constitutes the practical application of the Holy Spirit’s wisdom. (Ken wrote this in response to 6:1-5).
These thoughts were not given as meditations on lofty ideas, but to be used when we are most tempted to be angry, anxious, guilty, or depressed. As we have seen, the proper and healing use of these thoughts is to be the truth to which we bring our upsetting and illusory ones.
Jesus is asking us to have trust and faith in the process. As serious students of his course, we know there is a part of the mind that is sane and wants to learn what it is teaching. This is the decision maker that has accepted the Holy Spirit’s means, and so learns the difference between illusion’s pain and truth’s joy – both of which are present in our minds.
It is the right mind that understands, and wrong mind that becomes afraid. The former has faith we will learn and implement these lessons; the latter will do everything in its power to present such learning. Jesus thus reflects to our split minds: the one part that believes in physical reality and its problems; the other part that recognizes the need to have a different Teacher. The Holy Spirit is in our right minds, where we go to have a better way of looking at what disturbs us. Intolerance for pain provides motivation for the decision maker to withdraw faith from the ego and place it in the hands of the One Who alone loves us, supplying the means of forgiveness to bring happiness and peace.”
MY SHARING:
This week has been a formidable challenge for me. I have stayed stuck in feeling overwhelmed and frustrated. I was telling my twin sister yesterday it is as though I have four different voices representing the ego in my mind, all no/win, to be sure, and the Voice I want to listen to is easily squelched. Voices that tell me this:
“What is wrong with you? You can’t keep up with the cleaning, the yard, a/k/a mowing, you’re behind in business work, etc.”
“Get going, you’re just a slug. Anyone else, everyone else, could keep up, why can’t you?”
“Oh, do it tomorrow. It can wait. Practice the lesson that tells you not to value the valueless.”
“You’re pathetic, you are lazy and inefficient. What’s the matter with you.?”
And on and on it goes….do this, then the “THIS” is never enough or “Just chill, it will get done.”, whatever that insane voice tells me to do, ultimately, I will besieged with guilt and remorse, regret and self-flagellation.
I see it…clearly.
Ah, but it is so ingrained in what I have bought, that before I know it, in a nano-second, I am right back in its grasp, committed, seemingly, to depression and a deep sense of futility.
Hogwash to all of this!
Today…if I miss a practice or two or one hundred, I will ask for help in forgiving myself for having such a split mind and forgetting to get above the battleground where I get that the never-ending war is in my own mind, nowhere else.
Have a lovely day!
Love,
Gayle
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