[acimlessons_list] Review II, Lesson 81 - March 22

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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
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Lesson 81, Review II - March 22

"I am the light of the world." (1st half of day) 

"Forgiveness is my
function as the light of the world." (2nd half)

LESSON 81 

PRACTICE SUMMARY

LONGER: 1 time, about 15 minutes

* For 3 or 4 minutes, read over the ideas and comments slowly
(repeatedly if you wish) and think about them.

* Close eyes and spend remainder listening quietly and attentively.
There is a message for you. Be confident you will receive it, for it
belongs to you and you want it. If you have distracting thoughts realize
they have no meaning or power. Replace them with your will to succeed.
Trust it to carry you past distractions. If your mind still wanders,
repeat first phase of exercise.

REMARKS: Regard these exercises as dedication to God. Refuse to be
distracted. Be determined to assume your function today.

SHORTER: Frequent

First half of day: "I am the light of the world."

Second half of day: "Forgiveness is my function as the light of the
world."

RESPONSE TO TEMPTATION:

You may use these specific forms or your own words:

First half of day: "Let me not obscure the light of the world in me."
"Let the light of the world shine through this appearance." "This shadow
will vanish before the light."

Second half of the day: "Let this help me learn what forgiveness means."
"Let me not separate my function from my will." "I will not use this for
an alien purpose." 

COMMENTARY

"I am the light of the world." Lighting up the world is my function. The
Course is teaching us to remember Who we are, and to begin to live as
Who we are. We are lights, and we can live as lights in this world, by
our forgiveness sharing the happy news of freedom from all guilt. As St.
Francis of Assissi prayed, "Lord, make me the instrument of Thy peace."
May I leave everyone I meet a little brighter today. May the world seem
a little less dark for everyone I encounter. May each one I touch feel
more loveable as a result of meeting me. May I ask to see the light in
every situation; may I respond to darkness with light.

"Forgiveness is my function as the light of the world." If I do not feel
like the light of the world this day, let me forgive another; everyone I
forgive will show me the light in myself. It's even OK that I don't yet
understand what true forgiveness really is; that can't stop me if I am
willing to learn, and <I am willing>. Every situation that seems to
bring distress is a chance to learn what forgiveness really is. I don't
want to use the circumstances of my day for any purpose other than
God's. Let everything be grist for the mill.

*********** Additional Review Notes **************

Subject: One or two?

A few of you have written to me questioning whether this review calls
for one or two longer practice periods. The review's Introduction can be
understood either way. Robert Perry, who wrote the practice summaries,
sees only one longer period devoted to both ideas for review. Those who
have questioned see it calling for two 15-minute periods, one in the
morning for the first idea, one later in the day for the second idea.
For a long time I saw it that way, too.

The relevant portions of the review instructions are these:

"1. 2 We will begin where our last review left off, and cover two ideas
each day. 3 The earlier part of each day will be devoted to one of these
ideas, and the latter part of the day to the other. 4 We will have one
longer exercise period, and frequent shorter ones in which we practice
each of them.

2. 1 The longer practice periods will follow this general form: Take
about fifteen minutes for each of them, and begin by thinking about the
ideas for the day, and the comments that are included in the
assignments. 2 Devote some three or four minutes to reading them over
slowly, several times if you wish, and then close your eyes and listen."

1:4 seems to imply a single long practice period, and "frequent" short
ones. But 2:1 speaks of "longer practice periods," plural. It could be
referring to the ten periods, one per day, over the days of review.
Frankly, until I talked with Robert last year, I thought these
instructions meant for us to do two longer periods daily. It made sense,
one idea for each longer review. However, in 2:1, the instructions for
"each of them," that is for each longer review, tell us to think about
"the ideas [plural] for the day." So this seems to be speaking of a
single period in which we think about both ideas.

I don't think it matters a whole lot. If you want to do one, review both
ideas in it. If you want to do two, review one idea for each period. The
bulk of each period, after the first 3 or 4 minutes, are to be spent
simply listening quietly for a message. One time, two times; hey, do it five
times if you are up to it! We can use all the practice we can get!  
 
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+ Commentary by Allen Watson
+ Practice Summary: Robert Perry
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