[acimlessons_list] Lesson 146 - May 26

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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 146 - MAY 26

"My mind holds only what I think with God."

(131) "No one can fail who seeks to reach the truth."

(132) "I loose the world from all I thought it was."

Practice instructions

See Review IV practice instructions.

Commentary

Continuing to develop some ideas from the review about the theme thought, I
was struck by these words, from paragraphs 2 and 4 of the introduction:

Yet it is forever true [that my mind holds only what I think with God].
(W-pI.rIV.In.2:8)

And yet, your mind holds only what you think with God. Your self-deceptions
cannot take the place of truth. No more than can a child who throws a stick
into the ocean change the coming and the going of the tides, the warming of
the water by the sun, the silver of the moon on it by night.
(W-pI.rIV.In.4:1-3)

It is "forever true" that my mind holds only what it thinks with God. It was
true when God created me. It will be true when the journey is over and I am
home with God. And it is true <right now>. "Forever true." The third
paragraph talks about the many forms of unforgiveness, the way unforgiveness
is "carefully concealed" in my mind, the defenses of the ego, its illusions,
its use of self-deception to keep the mindless game going. Yet, despite
this, "My mind holds only what I think with God." Nothing I do affects this
fact. All the self-deception in the world can only hide the truth, not
change it. "Your self-deceptions cannot take the place of truth"
(W-pI.rIV.In.4:2).

The image of the child throwing a stick into the ocean is just perfect. I
remember as a very young boy I used to go to Cape Cod. I would stand in the
surf, with waves perhaps two or three feet high breaking before me, and I
would punch the waves, battling with them, driving my fist through them. To
me at the time, I was like a warrior, fighting against the ocean. I'm sure
the ocean was deeply concerned! I'm sure my mighty efforts slowed down the
tide a bit, at least. Sure they did. Right, of course.

Our "rebellion" against God has had about that much effect. In other words,
none. The very idea that we could alter God's creation is as ludicrous as
the child with the stick seriously believing he had damaged the ocean when
he threw the stick in.

This is why "no one can fail who seeks to reach the truth." Because the
truth is right there, in my mind, where it always has been and forever will
be. I can't fail to find it because I haven't lost it! I've still got it.

I have looked upon this world and believed it to be a place where God is
not. I've seen what appears to be an outrageous lack of love. I've been
deeply disappointed with the world. Well, "I loose the world from all I
thought it was." I let all those impressions of the world drop away, because
it can't be what I thought it was, not if all of our minds still hold only
what we think with God. Something is wrong with this picture! Just when I
thought I had begun to figure out the world, along comes the Course and
says, "Not even warm." So I let my judgments about the world fall away, and
open my mind to be taught anew. Maybe, just maybe, the way I've seen it had
something to do with what I was thinking about myself, with my belief that
my mind was at war with God. Maybe I've seen a world at war with God because
that is how I imagine my mind to be, and I've projected that onto the world.
And maybe, if I let go of my foolish ideas about myself, my image of the
world will change, too. I'm willing to give it a try.
 
 
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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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