[acimlessons_list] Lesson 235 - August 23

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+ 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.org/index.php>
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Lesson 235 * August 23

"God in His mercy wills that I be saved."

Practice instructions

See complete instructions in separate document. A short summary:

* Read the commentary paragraph slowly and personally.

* Pray the prayer, perhaps several times.

* Morning and evening: Repeat the idea and then spend time in Open Mind
Meditation.

* Hourly remembrance: Repeat the idea and then spend a quiet moment in
meditation.

* Frequent reminders: Repeat the idea often within each hour.

* Response to temptation: Repeat the idea whenever upset, to restore peace.

* Read the "What Is" section slowly and thoughtfully once during the day.

Practice comments: Notice the response to temptation instructions. Whenever
something seems to hurt you, assure yourself with certainty, <"God wills
that I be saved from this,"> and you can watch it disappear. Of course, the
physical situation itself may not change, but what will disappear is the
power it has over your emotions.

Commentary

If we look at our own thoughts honestly we will be able to see many ways in
which we believe the direct opposite of today's lesson. We think, "God in
His anger wills that I be punished." Somewhere in each of us is a pathetic
voice telling us that we must deserve whatever we get in the way of pain, or
that what joy we have may be taken from us because we are undeserving of it.

To those who begin to list their complaints about the world and how it
mistreats them, the Course has very abrupt advice: "Give up these foolish
thoughts!" (M-15.3:1). It is in my power to reverse these things. All I need
to do is to assure myself, "God wills that I be saved from this" (1:1). God
does not will my pain, my sadness, or my loneliness. By changing the way I
think of all this, I can change the world.

We think our hurt and sadness is caused by the events of the world; the
Course is teaching us that it is the other way around. Our belief in God's
anger is what brings us suffering; our belief in His mercy and Love can
transform our lives. What needs changing is not out there in the world, but
here, in my own mind. Let me today remember, Father, that I am "safe forever
in [Your] Arms" (1:3). Let the thought that You will my happiness fill my
mind today. If You are Love, if You love me, what else could You want for
me?

WHAT IS SALVATION?

Part 5: W-pII.2.3:1-3

Salvation is undoing in the sense that it does nothing, failing to support
the world of dreams and malice. Thus it lets illusions go. (3:1-2)

To participate in salvation is not the addition of a new activity, but the
letting go of our ancient drama of dreams and malice. To be saved is to
<stop> supporting our illusions, to cease adding fuel to the fire of anger,
attack, and guilt that has ravaged our minds for eons. Salvation is not a
doing but an undoing. It is to end our resistance to the flow of love, both
the flow from God to us, and the flow from us to God and to our brothers.
Salvation means we stop inventing excuses not to love. It means we stop
inventing reasons why we are not worthy of it.

"The ego has no power to distract you unless you give it the power to do so"
(T-8.I.2:1). The only power the ego has is what we give to it; it uses our
own power against us. All ego illusions are funded by our investment in
them. When we withdraw that power, and stop our support of the ego's
illusions, they "quietly go down to dust" (3:3). How is the ego undone? By
our choice to no longer support it.

"The secret of salvation is but this: That you are doing this unto yourself"
(T-27.VIII.10:1).

 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
+ Available in book format from The Circle
+ of Atonement (Vol. 1 reprint due by fall of 2005, write us for info)
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