[acimlessons_list] Review IV, Lesson 148 - May 28

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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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Review IV, LESSON 148 - MAY 28

"MY MIND HOLDS ONLY WHAT I THINK WITH GOD."

(135) "IF I DEFEND MYSELF I AM ATTACKED."

(136) "SICKNESS IS A DEFENSE AGAINST THE TRUTH."

PRACTICE INSTRUCTIONS

See Review IV practice instructions on page XXX.

COMMENTARY

What seem to me to be obstacles within my mind, out-of-control thoughts that
hinder me on my spiritual path, are my defenses against the truth. Nothing
enters my mind without my permission. No one is thinking thoughts in my mind
except me (and God). As Lesson 26 taught us, my attack thoughts are
attacking my own invulnerability. I may think I am attacking someone else,
but I am really attacking my own Identity with God.

My ego has built up a clever, multi-layered defense system against the
truth, and has hidden it in obscurity and disguise. The process the Course
sets before me is one of uncovering these defenses, becoming aware of them,
judging them as insane, and letting them go. All of them are false, and what
is false cannot affect what is true. Beneath all the camouflage of the ego,
my mind still holds only what I think with God. The rest is elaborate
illusion with no real power to cause any effects whatsoever.

Sickness is one very prominent and very effective defense system of the ego.
In sickness, something my mind has caused appears to be an attack from the
outside, a visible or invisible enemy with very visible effects on my body.
It is something I must continually defend against, and fight with every
resource when it strikes. As soon as one disease is conquered, another seems
to arise with even more devastating effects. Most of mankind is not ready to
accept that sickness is only of the mind. I have not fully accepted it
myself; my level of fear is still too high. So there is every reason to
continue to alleviate diseases in the ways we have been doing, yet we must
realize that we are only muting the symptoms and not eradicating the cause.
Only as more and more of us begin to realize that our minds hold only what
we think with God, and that everything which seems to be other than from God
is an illusion of our creation, will the need for the compromise approach of
physical medicine begin to disappear.

Today in my practice I am contributing to the ultimate cure of every
disease. As I search out my own inner defenses, which are actually forms of
self-attack, and let them go, I am collaborating with the power of God to
free mankind from disease, and not only disease, but every such ego-based
system of defense against the truth. As I clear my mind of all thoughts that
would deceive (W-pI.rIV.In.5:2), and place God's Mind in charge of the
thoughts I receive (W-pI.rIV.In.5:4), I am not working alone. "They [the
thoughts] will not come from you alone, for they will all be shared with
Him" (W-pI.rIV.In.6:1).

Let me, then, take the assigned times today to remember the true Source of
all my thoughts, and to allow the Holy Spirit to clear the cobwebs of
deception from my mind. Let me take five minutes in the morning to "set the
day along the lines which God appointed" (W-pI.rIV.In.5:4). Each time I do
so, each day I remember my practice, I bring myself and all the world nearer
the day when all deception will vanish in the light.
 
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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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