[acimlessons_list] Lesson 051--February 20

[Allen Watson]

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

Lesson 51 - February 20

PRACTICE SUMMARY

REVIEW I

Purpose: to review the lessons and therefore let them sink in a notch
deeper. Also, to see how they interrelated they are and how cohesive the
thought system is that they are leading you to.

Exercise: as often as possible (suggestion: every hour on the hour), for at
least 2 minutes * Alone in a quiet place, read one of the five lessons and
the related comments. Notice that the comments are written as if they are
your own thoughts about the idea. Try to imagine that they are. It will help
if you frequently insert your name. This will set you up for the next phase,
in which you generate similar thoughts of your own. * Close your eyes and
think about the idea and the comments. Think particularly about the central
point of the commentary paragraph. Reflect on it. Let related thoughts come
(utilizing the training you've received in that practice). If your mind
wanders, repeat the idea and then get back to your reflection. This is the
same basic exercise as in Lesson 50, in which you actively think about ideas
in order to let them sink more deeply into your mind. Remarks:
* At the beginning and end of the day read all five lessons.  * Thereafter,
cover one lesson per practice period, in no particular order.  * Cover each
lesson at least once.
* Beyond that, concentrate on a particular lesson if it appeals to you most.

COMMENTARY

Review of lessons 1 to 5.

Note first that we aren't simply to read this review; we are meant to spend
time morning and evening reviewing all five ideas, and to spend <at least>
one two-minute practice period during the day on each of the five. That's
five practice periods between the morning and evening, minimum. It will
probably take a little planning to schedule those five interim periods, and
the planning time is worth the effort. Second, notice that these practice
instructions apply to all ten review lessons for the next ten days.

The comments on the five lessons given in Lesson 51 link them together so
clearly that little comment is really needed. As Review I says in the last
sentence, the emphasis of this review is on the relationships between the
ideas and the cohesiveness of the entire thought system being presented. If
you look at them together, they are lessons in "letting go" (the words "let
go" or some variant occur in four of the five reviews). In these first five
lessons I am being asked to let go of:

1. What I see 
2. My judgments 
3. My understanding
4. My thoughts 
5. My thought system

What we "see" in the normal sense is nothing; we need to realize it is
meaningless and let it go, so that vision may take its place. We are not
actually seeing things; rather, we are seeing our judgments on them. If we
want vision, we have to realize our judgments are invalid, and cease letting
them govern our sight. If we have misjudged, surely we have also
misunderstood. Our "understanding" of things is based, not on reality, but
on our own projections. But we can choose to exchange our misunderstandings
for real understanding, based on love rather than judgment.

Like what we see, our conscious thoughts are without any real meaning; we
need to let them go, along with judgment-based perceptions. They are
thoughts of anger and attack, seeing all things as our enemies. These
thoughts which are apart from God require constant justification, and our
upset is no more than an attempt to justify our our anger with the world and
our attacks upon it.

As we read over this review, which is written in the first person, we may
want to try reading it aloud, and seeing how we resonate with it. <Am> I
really willing to let go of what I see, my judgments and my understanding of
everything, my thoughts, and my very thought system? Can I say, "I am
willing to let it go?"

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

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+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
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Portions from Clarification of Terms (c) Copyright 1975, Psychotherapy:
Purpose, Process and Practice, (c) 1976, The Song of Prayer, (c) 1978, are
used by permission of the copyright holder, The Foundation for "A Course in
Miracles," 41397 Buecking Drive, Temecula, CA 92590.


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