[acimlessons_list] Review III, Lesson 113 - April 23

Fri Apr 22 06:40:08 EDT 2005

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ COMMENTARIES ON LESSONS FROM THE WORKBOOK OF A COURSE IN MIRACLES
+ by Allen Watson, with Practice Summaries by Robert Perry, 
+ of The Circle of Atonement
+ Visit our website at <http://www.circleofa.com <http://www.circleofa.com/>
>
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Review III, Lesson 113 - April 23

"I am one Self, united with my Creator."

"Salvation comes from my one Self."

PRACTICE SUMMARY

REVIEW III

Purpose: a second chance at the last 20 lessons, in which you can practice
them more diligently, and which can carry you so far ahead that you will
continue your journey "on more solid ground, with firmer footsteps and with
stronger faith" (12:3).

Remarks: Please follow the format below as closely as you can. If you miss a
practice period (either the longer ones or the every-half-hour ones) because
you simply couldn't do it at the appointed time, your progress is not
hindered. Don't worry about making those ones up. If, however, you missed
because you just didn't want to give the time, your progress is hindered.
Those ones should be made up. You missed because you thought some other
activity would deliver more. As soon as you remember that "your practicing
can offer everything to you" (4:5), do your make-up practice periods as a
statement that your real goal is salvation.
In deciding if you should make up a practice period, be very honest with
yourself. Do not try to pass off "I didn't want to practice" as "I couldn't
practice." Learn to discern between situations truly unsuited to practicing
and those in which you could practice if you wanted. 

Longer: 2-one in the morning, one in the hour before sleep (ideally the
first and last 5 minutes of your day), for 5 minutes (longer if you prefer)
*	Read over the two ideas and the comments about them, so that the
ideas are firmly placed in your mind.
*	Then close your eyes and begin to think about the ideas and also to
let related thoughts come (you should remember both of these practices from
earlier lessons). This time, however, there is an important twist. Let your
mind search out various needs, problems, and concerns in your life. As each
one arises, let your mind come up with thoughts related to the ideas,
thoughts which apply the essence of those ideas to the need, problem, or
concern. In other words, let your mind creatively apply the ideas so as to
dispel your sense of need, problem, or concern. This is a more developed
version of letting related thoughts come, in which it combines with response
to temptation (there were hints of this in Review II-see my response to
temptation comments there).
*	Remember your training in letting related thoughts come: place the
ideas in your mind. Trust your mind's inherent wisdom to generate related
thoughts (this trust is a big theme in this review). Don't strain-let your
mind come up with thoughts. The thoughts need only be indirectly related to
the ideas, though they should not be in conflict. If your mind wanders, or
you draw a blank, repeat the ideas and try again.
*	If you try this and it is just too unstructured for you, I have
found the following more structured version to be useful:
1.	Let a need, problem or concern come to mind, and name it to yourself
(for example, "I see this conflict with so-and-so as a problem").
2.	Repeat one or both of the ideas for the day (for instance, "I am
spirit").
3.	While repeating the idea, watch your mind for any sparks of insight
that arise which apply the idea to your need, problem or concern, and
verbalize this insight to yourself (for example, "As spirit, I cannot be
hurt. I am totally invulnerable").
4.	Either continue with more such related thoughts, or go on to the
next need, problem or concern.

Frequent reminders: on the hour and on the half hour, for a moment
*	Repeat the applicable idea (on the hour, the first idea; on the half
hour, the second idea).
*	Allow your mind to rest in silence and peace for a moment.
*	Afterwards, try to carry the idea with you, keeping it ready for
response to temptation.

Response to temptation: whenever your peace is shaken
Repeat the idea (the one you are carrying with you from your last practice
period). By applying the idea to the business of the day, you will make that
business holy.

Remarks: These shorter practice periods (frequent reminders and response to
temptation) are at least as important as the longer. By skipping these,
which you have tended to do, you have not allowed what you gained in the
longer periods to be applied to the rest of your life, where it could show
just how great its gifts are. After your longer practice periods, don't let
your learning "lie idly by" (10:1). Reinforce it with the frequent reminders
every half hour. And after those, do not lay the idea down (11:3). Have it
poised and ready to use in response to all your little upsets. In this way,
you forge a continuous chain that reaches from your longer practice periods
all the way into the hustle and bustle of your day.

COMMENTARY

There is something inexpressibly appealing about the idea of being "one
Self." Much of modern psychology talks about "integration" of the disparate
aspects of our being. So much of the time we feel as if we are made up of
varying segments, sometimes cooperating but more often than not conflicting
with one another. There is what the Jungian analysts refer to as our
"shadow" self, all the dark, repressed tendencies that follow us around as
dark figures in our dreams.

The Course holds out the vision of a unified Self. It speaks of "a mind at
peace within itself" (W-pII.8.3:4). It tells us that because we must be only
one self, we cannot be in conflict. The Text talks about our war against
ourselves (Chapter 23) and says that the apparent conflict we see in the
world around us is nothing but a reflection of the illusion of conflict we
all carry within our own minds. It says that "peace begins within the world
perceived as different, and leading from this fresh perception to the gate
of Heaven and the way beyond" (W-pI.200.8:2). The peace must begin within
us, in the serenity and calm of an integrated self, in a mind free of
conflict and attack.

The Self we are speaking of is more than just a whole individual, however.
It is one Self shared by all, "at one with all creation and with God" (1:2).
The two are really different aspects of the same thing, for as we free
ourselves of conflict within ourselves, our conflict with the world will
miraculously disappear.

This is why salvation comes from this one Self. When we have consolidated
ourselves, recognized the truth of our unified being, this condition of
wholeness naturally extends to others. From within the Circle of Atonement
(T-14.V) we draw others to their own wholeness, shared with us.

Today I still my mind from all its conflicts. I dissociate myself from the
dissociation, I separate myself from the separation. I take time in quiet to
break my sense of identification with this image of a shattered self, and I
let myself sink down into the awareness of "one Self" within me. Who I
really am. Conflicting images of myself come and go with startling
frequency; they cannot be my reality. Something persists beneath it all, the
"hum" of being in which all the flash and drama seems to occur. It is this
steadiness that I am, not the ephemeral shooting stars of thought that seem
to demand my attention. I embrace this one Self, avidly, saying, "Salvation
comes from my one Self. This oneness is my salvation. This oneness is my
reality." 

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
+ Available in book format from The Circle
+ of Atonement (Vol. 1 reprint due by end of 2004, write us for info)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ The Workbook Commentaries are Copyright 1995, 2001, 2002, 2003 by The 
+ Circle of Atonement, P.O. Box 4238,
+ W. Sedona, AZ 86340.
+ All rights reserved.
+
+ Please notify us of any intent to use them beyond the scope of this 
+ e-mail list; write to info at circleofa.com.
+
+ WWW: <http://www.circleofa.com/>
+ Email: <info at circleofa.com>
+ Back Issues Lesson Archive: <http://www.circleofa.com/curwkbk.html>
+ or <http://five.pairlist.net/pipermail/acimlessons_list/>, click "Date"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To unsubscribe from ACIMLESSONS_LIST send email to
acimlessons_list-request at circleofa.com with "unsubscribe" as the subject

To unsubscribe from ACIMWKBK_LIST send email to
acimwkbk_list-request at circleofa.com with "unsubscribe" as the subject

For more information about unsubscribing, subscribing, and changing settings
for your subscription, send an e-mail message to the same address with the
word "help" as the subject. You can also change your subscription options by
visiting the list website:
<http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/acimlessons_list> OR
<http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/acimwkbk_list>
Scroll to the bottom to change your personal options. 
____________________________________________

Tell your friends to subscribe. They can simply send an e-mail message to
<acimwkbk_list-request at circleofa.com> with the word "subscribe" in the
subject, changing "acimwkbk" to "acimlessons" if they want only the
commentaries, without member discussion.
_______________________________________________

Please support the Workbook commentaries! Make a donation to the Circle:
<https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=info%40circleofa.com&item_name=donat
ion+to+support+Workbook+commentaries&image_url=http%3A//www.circleofa.coion+
to+support+Workbook+m/images/main_title.gif&return=http%3A//www.circleofa.co
m&cancel_return=http%3A//www.circleofa.com&cn=Note+to+the+Circle&tax=0&curre
ncy_code=USD>
(If clicking the above link does not work, try copying it and pasting it
into the address field of your web browser, and clicking on "Go".)
_______________________________________________

Portions from Clarification of Terms, Copyright 1975, Psychotherapy:
Purpose, Process and Practice, (c) 1976, The Song of Prayer, (c) 1978, are
copyrighted by The Foundation for "A Course in Miracles," 41397 Buecking
Drive, Temecula, CA 92590.