[acimlessons_list] Lesson 052--February 21

[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 52 - February 21 (Review I)


Review of Lessons 6 to 10.

"I am upset because I see what is not there."

"I see only the past."

"My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts."

"I see nothing as it is now."

"My thoughts do not mean anything."


PRACTICE SUMMARY

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

Remember that the general practice for these reviews is to read all five
thoughts and comments twice daily, morning and evening, and to spend at
least one two-minute period with each of the five ideas during the day.

The thoughts are thick in these reviews, so I offer only a few observations
on things that stand out for me.

"Reality is never frightening" (1:2). Reality is, of course, what God
created. When I feel frightened, I find it useful to remind myself that I
must be seeing something that isn't really there.

I am the one who makes up frightening illusions. How reassuring to be told
that, "Nothing in God's creation is affected in any way by this confusion of
mine" (1:7). That is the basis for letting go of guilt. I may be confused,
mistaken, deceived, and deceiving, but none of it affects what is real.
What's real is real no matter what I do. The sun doesn't go out when I cover
my eyes. So all that I have done has had zero real effects! I have nothing
of which to feel guilty.

"If I see nothing as it is now, it can truly be said that I see nothing"
(4:2). A thing is as it is now. It isn't as it was yesterday; it isn't as it
will be tomorrow. Things exist NOW. That is the only way I can see them.
That is how they are. If I am seeing the past, I'm not seeing anything. The
past isn't here.

"I have no private thoughts" (5:2). What if everyone in the world could see
right into your mind? What if the way you thought about your boss affected
the war in Bosnia? Guess what? They can. It does. And yet, "they mean
nothing" (5:5). If you think thoughts you believe to be private, they are
meaningless. They have effects within the illusion, but they affect nothing
real. Only thoughts that are shared have real effects, and the only thoughts
that can be truly shared are the thoughts you think with God.

The opinions expressed in this commentary are the personal interpretation
and understanding of the author and are not necessarily endorsed by the
copyright holder of A Course in Miracles(r). The author, Allen Watson, and
the book entitled A Course in Miracles, are responsible for the information
and teaching herein.

Portions from A Course in Miracles (r)(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.

The Workbook Commentaries are Copyright 1995, 2001, 2002 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 email list;
write to info at circleofa.com.




    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>

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
+ Available in book format from The Circle
+ of Atonement (Vol. 1 reprint due soon, 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>
+
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.


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

To unsubscribe, send a message containing only one word: "unsubscribe",
to the appropriate address:

ACIMWKBK-LIST: acimwkbk_list-request at circleofa.com
ACIMLESSONS_LIST: acimlessons_list-request at circleofa.com

For additional information about unsubscribing, subscribing, and changing
settings for your subscription, send an e-mail message containing only the
Word "help" to either of the above two addresses, or visit the list websites
at http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/acimlessons_list or for
acimwkbk_list, use http://five.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/acimwkbk_list
_______________________________________________
Tell your friends to subscribe. They can simply send an e-mail message to
either of the above addresses with one line in the message body:

    subscribe
_______________________________________________

Visit the new Circle of Atonement web site: <http://www.circleofa.com>

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.com/im
ages/main_title.gif&return=http%3A//www.circleofa.com&cancel_return=http%3A/
/www.circleofa.com&cn=Note+to+the+Circle&tax=0&currency_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".)
_______________________________________________