[acimlessons_list] Lesson 066--March 7

[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 66-March 7

COMMENTARY

I find this lesson interesting in the way it makes use of ordinary logic,
applied to extraordinary ideas. The longer practice period is supposed to be
spent in thinking about the premises in the syllogism given in paragraph 5
(5:7, 9:1). In other words, the lesson asks us to test out the logic of its
proposal with our minds. Quite evidently the Course sees a good deal of
value in thinking and reasoning; it is not a Course in mindlessness, as some
people seem to believe. Nor is it only a course in experience. It is solidly
laced with reasoning, and expects us to know how to use that faculty of our
minds. I find that a good aid in this kind of practice is writing down the
ideas that come to me as I do it.

The central idea today is one we've seen before: happiness and my function
are, at the core, identical. The two premises are fairly simple, especially
the first: God gives me only happiness. If God is a God worthy of my
allegiance, a God of love, this must be so. Why follow a god who makes me
unhappy? Such a god is an evil monster (6:5). And if God is evil I may as
well quit now; I'll never find happiness living in the clutches of a
sadistic god, who gives his creations unhappiness.

Second, God has given my function to me. This is a little less obvious.
"Function" could be understood as meaning "nature." In simple terms, God
created me, and in so doing, defined what I am. What I am defines what I do.
What alternative is there? If God did not define me, what did? Given the
choices, I would be forced to conclude that the ego defined me (8:3). Or, I
might say, I made myself (which is really the same thing). But how can
anything create itself? What created its power to create? Is it really
possible that the ego made me, or I defined myself? No. Therefore this
second premise must also be true: God is the true Source of everything that
is part of my nature, including my function.

Now if these two premises affirming a loving God Who is the Source of both
my happiness and my function are true, what is the logical conclusion? My
function must be happiness. My reason for being is to be happy. Fulfilling
my function is what brings me happiness.

If we think about the long history of our attempts to find happiness
following our egos-as we are instructed to think, here in the lesson-we must
admit, if we are perfectly honest, that none of them have worked.

The lesson is trying to bring us to the point where we make a choice, the
choice between madness and truth, between listening to the ego or to the
Holy Spirit. It is asking us to realize that everything the ego tells us is
a lie, and that only the truth is true; only what God has given us has
reality.

This lesson is the second one called a "giant stride." The first was Lesson
61. We'll see the term again in Lessons 94, 130, 135, and 194. Lesson 61
told us, "I am the light of the world" (W-pI.61.Title). We are
light-bearers, designed by God to beam His light to the universe. Accepting
that as our function, Lesson 61 told us, is a giant stride, a strong
beginning. Now, we are told, "My happiness and my function are one."
Bringing light to the world is what happiness is; being the light of the
world is fulfilling our function, and fulfilling our function is happiness.

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>

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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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