ACIM Video Lesson 1 Earl Purdy Nothing I see means anything

The Story of A Course In Miracles (Part 1)

In The Spirit - A Story about Jesus Christ

A Message from Kryon / Lee Carroll

Vision explained?

I believe it was on the lesson day for "There is nothing to fear," I was on a train to Hamilton. With eyes closed, drifting in and out of sleep, I had a beautiful crystal clear vision of a funnel of clouds with streams of light webbed in its walls. It was stunning. As soon I opened my eyes, still in wonder, I thought of my mom.

Mom-aside, today's lesson had an exercise of visualizing my mind as a vast circle surrounded by dark clouds, through which I would attempt to pass through. I couldn't but help to think that is what I saw on the train: the light of my mind surrounded by my grievances.

Aaron

P.S. The vision was something like this: World Press 2008 1st Place Winner for Nature

66 Lessons Later

I've missed one day, and stayed on one lesson for two to get it right. 10 days were workbook-scheduled review days of the first 50 lessons. So, I'm on lesson 66 today instead of lesson 68. Not bad at all.

I approached the workbook differently this year, and it has had a substantial effect on my focus.

The original plan for practicing the workbook lessons was to do one lesson a week, for seven years. The intent was to really let each lesson sink in as a devotion to mastery.  But it was too slow—allowing for the ego to adapt and undo—and apparently, unnecessary. I adapted the intent of mastery in another way that has been working for me.

Before I started a new lesson for the day, I recited, from memory, the lessons of the previous days. I'll say them in my mind, out loud, or write or type them out. The result is that I can now recite all 56 distinct lessons, in order. (Again, ten lessons were workbook reviews of the first 50 lessons).

Similar to my familiarity of the textbook, which I've read numerous times, I find myself reflexively recalling certain lessons when relevant thinking arises in me.

As an exercise in memory, it's exciting to have all the lessons ideas with me at any time. But it's almost overwhelming to think I'll be reciting 100's of lessons daily.

As of today, one lesson and an idea related to another stand out.

Lesson 48: There is nothing to fear.
After working through the 47 lessons, this one actually had a noticeable and remarkable calming affect on me. I've declared similar statements before, but this time, there was a spark of genuine faith.

The other idea that has resonated with me is that we should evaluate each decision by one test: Will it make me happy? With this, a spark of genuine belief strengthens in me. But let me clarify what I mean by "happy."

This morning, on a subway train, I saw someone reading a paper. On a page facing me, there was an article with a headline to the effect of: "Low mortgage rates tempts home owners to refinance."

My reaction was two thoughts:

1. By definition, temptations are negative—they may be selfishly gratifying in the short terms, but we're keenly aware they can backfire badly.
2. Those home owners have no reason to be tempted if they're honest about all the facts. Either refinancing is a good idea or it is not.

Happiness is not a fleeting thing that comes with a promise of fear and pain later, as temptations do. So when I evaluate my choices of action, it's that much clearer to me that I want to make the decision that doesn't hide a lie that I'd have to keep looking over my shoulder to defend against.

A happy decision has no regrets. A happy decision is always in the opposite direction of procrastination. A happy decision is complete.

I'm getting something out of these lessons (but of course, I want more).

Onwards.

2010: Nothing New But Opportunities

The 365th page of ACIM, which easily aligns with our cultural new-year resolution sentiments, begins the section VI. Setting the Goal.

The "January 1st" page, 366, continues with such guidance as:

In any situation in which you are uncertain, the first thing to consider, very simply, is "What do I want to come of this [e.g., year]? What is it for? the clarification of the goal belongs at the beginning, for it is this which will determine the outcome.

It goes on to state that a "clear-cut, positive goal" is needed "set at the outset."

I, like many I'm sure, like to set goals to start at calendar beginnings: the start of a week, month, or a year. It's a habit that ACIM's structure seems to take into consideration:

• 31 text chapters for the 31 days of most months
• Reading a page a day would keep you about a month early from yearly events like Christmas/New Year and Holy Week/Easter
• 365 workbook lessons

While ACIM seems to accommodate, if not anticipate my use of time, it also clearly shows how I waste it. If I lose my focus, I wait until the next calendar beginning to reset it. For example, losing my focus on day 7, may have me waiting three weeks to restart.

ACIM never says that the 365 lesson must be started on the first of January. It merely states that the duration of the workbook lessons is one year. So I could start any day and finish on the same day the following year. But again, I believe ACIM was structured to anticipate this tendency of mine to align to cultural starts and ends.

The benefit has been a high familiarity with the first few chapters and topics of the text and manual. And this such high familiarity is strongly encouraged at the end of the first chapter of the textbook.

But I obviously have to move on and be more vigilant in finishing what I start.

Page 366 continues:

The absence of a criterion for outcome, set in advance, makes understanding doubtful and evaluation impossible.

The value of deciding in advance what you want to happen is simply that you will perceive the situation as a means to make it happen. You will therefore make every effort to overlook what interferes with the accomplishment of your objective, and concentrate on everything that helps you meet it.

Thus part of my goal is to "Make this year different by making it all the same" (Text p.329). There is no new week, no new month, and no new year, just new opportunities. They come with each passing moment without regard to time.

Likewise, Lesson 1 of the workbook begins teaching just this sentiment of indiscrimination:

One thing is like another as far as the application of the idea is concerned.

When I let go of my self-imposed limits of when I can apply myself, then I can also let go of other behaviours and learn positive new ones.

Take courage,

Aaron