[acimlessons_list] Lesson 158 - June 7

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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.com>
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Lesson 158 - June 7

"Today I learn to give as I receive."

PRACTICE SUMMARY

PURPOSE: To practice seeing with the eyes of Christ. To give the knowledge
you have received by giving Christ's vision to your brothers, and thus
letting that vision look on you as well.

MORNING/EVENING QUIET TIME: 5 minutes--at least; 10--better; 15 even better;
30 or more--best

HOURLY REMEMBRANCE: as the hour strikes, for more than 1 minute (reduce if
circumstances do not permit)

Sit quietly and wait on God. Thank Him for His gifts in the previous hour.
And let His Voice tell you what He wants you to do in the coming hour.

FREQUENT REMINDER: See each brother you meet with the Christ's vision and so
let that vision shine on you. See no one as a body. Acknowledge him as God's
Son, at one with you.

RESPONSE TO TEMPTATION: Whenever you feel tempted, repeat idea.

COMMENTARY

This lesson has a lot of profound metaphysics in it, particularly the stuff
about time. If you'd like to dig into the Course's concept of time, a
terrific starting place is Ken Wapnick's book, "A Vast Illusion: Time in A
Course in Miracles." I can't write a book tonight and you probably don't
want to read one right now! :-) So I'm going to skip over most of that
stuff.

The practical point this lesson is trying to make is that "knowledge," which
lies in the sphere of Heaven, is outside the scope of this Course. We have
<all> received knowledge when we were created; every living thing knows,
inherently, that it is still connected to its Source: "a mind, in Mind and
purely mind, sinless forever, wholly unafraid because you were created out
of Love" (1:2). It may seem to us that this is something we do <not> have,
and that it is this we are trying to give to others and to receive for
ourselves. But we can't give it because everyone already has it. It exists
outside of time entirely. The point in time at which the experience of this
knowledge reveals itself to us is already determined, by our own minds
(2:9). When it happens, it will happen.

Within time--which is an illusion--what we can give, and receive, is
forgiveness. Forgiveness is the gift that reflects true knowledge "in a way
so accurate its image shares its unseen holiness" (11:1-2). What we can give
is a vision of sinlessness, "Christ's vision." We can look past the body and
see a light; look past what can be touched and see an idea; look past the
mistakes and fears in our brothers and sisters, and see their inherent
purity. We can greet one another and in each one, "see him as the Son of God
he is, acknowledging that he is one with you in holiness" (8:4).

We are not giving knowledge. When we meet someone, we can give them our
vision of themselves as sinless. In the way that we perceive them, they can
find a new perception of themselves, one they have not found on their own.
As they respond to our merciful vision, they will reflect that vision back
to us, enabling us to perceive the Love of God within ourselves. When we
forgive another, we have simultaneously forgiven our own sins, because "in
your brother you but see yourself" (10:3).

We cannot know when revelation of truth, the experience of our reality, will
come to us. The time is set; the drama is being played out; there is not one
step we take only by chance (3:1-3). And yet, each act of forgiveness brings
the day nearer. Our concern, then, is not with the final experience, but
with the practice of vision, seeing with the eyes of Christ. This is
something we can attain; this is something we can do something about. And we
can do so <today>. Right now.

"This can be taught; and must be taught by all who would achieve it" (8:1).
The way to learn the vision of Christ is to give it. The way to achieve the
vision of ourselves as Christ sees us is to practice seeing others with His
eyes. We give it to have it. This is the whole plan of the Course. 
 
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+ 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)
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