LESSON THIRTY-FOUR

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE: The Course text is in bold face. The Guidance is in normal type In His Guidance, He has asked Me to capitalize the pronouns You and We as an acknowledgement of the Divinity of All of Us, an acknowledgement of Equality, an expression of His Love and respect for You. When You see the word ‘YOU’ capitalized in the Guidance, know that He is not just speaking to YOU, He is honoring YOU.

I could see peace instead of this.

Yes, indeed, You could.  Yet conflict seems so much more exciting.  That is because You have but forgotten the beauty and the rapture of the experience of Reality, which is Peace that’s True and Real.

Peace isn’t just the absence of conflict.  It is an active, living, joyous Thing!  Like the riding of a perfect wave with perfect balance, calm exhilaration.  Your Joy pouring forth, blessing Every One.  Their Joy at Your Joy coming back to You.

¹ The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the other way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.

In other words, what I am saying is that Reality does stand consistently, unchangeable. And it is Your point of view that determines how Reality does look to You.

Each One of You creates Your own point of view and it supports the separation.  Yet could You see harmoniously As One, if You would choose to; not like carbon copies, but experiences unique of Good that’s always shared.

I have, before, used the example of the colour yellow.  Every One’s experience of yellow is unique, and the Infinite experience of All is what makes up yellow.

A full five minutes should be devoted to the morning and evening application.

(To do it constantly would be the best!) (Unless You are enjoying suffering?)

² Three longer practice periods are required for today’s exercises. One in the morning and one in the evening are advised, with an additional one to be undertaken at any time in between which seems most conducive to readiness. All applications should be done with your eyes closed. It is your inner world to which the applications of today’s idea should be made.

³ Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of the longer practice periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts, anxiety provoking situations, “offending” personalities or events, or anything else about which you are harboring unloving thoughts. Note them all casually, repeating the idea for today slowly as you watch them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be replaced by the next.

You may be surprised – or even astounded – at just how many grievances lurk in Your so-called mind.  And each one has been a lost opportunity for Your peace.  And now You have an opportunity to choose for peace instead of grievances.  Will You accept it?

⁴ If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific subjects, continue to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried manner, without applying it to anything in particular. Be sure, however, not to make any specific exclusions.

Imagine the freedom You can feel without those thoughts making You quite disgruntled.

³ The shorter exercise periods should be as frequent as possible.

– Each occasion is but a step toward Home. (brings Home that much closer) –

Specific applications of today’s idea should also be made immediately when any situation arises which tempts you to become disturbed. For these applications, say:

⁴ There is another way of looking at this.

Bless these priceless words.

⁵ The shorter applications are to be frequent and made whenever you feel your peace of mind is threatened in any way. The purpose is to protect yourself from temptation throughout the day. If a specific form of temptation arises in your awareness, the exercise should take this form:

⁶ I could see peace in this situation instead of
what I now see in it.

⁷ If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more generalized adverse emotions, such as depression, anxiety, or worry, use the idea in its original form. If you find you need more than one application of today’s idea to help you change your mind in any specific context, try to take several minutes and devote them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief.

Sometimes the ego does prefer suffering to easement, so perseveration with the Love of God is necessary and is quite calming.  For all these words are given to You as God’s dear Gift of Love.

If You will, You can feel His Love for You.

It will help you if you tell yourself specifically:

⁸ I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety
or worry [or my thoughts about this situation,
personality, or event] with peace.

The Universe of Consciousness is ever flexible and fluid. Not one thing that troubles You has been carved into stone.  Only the ego mindset is rigid, and You are not an ego, for You have but the Mind of Christ.

Just as I do.  So can You imagine Me disgruntled, ruminating ills, and whining complaints about this and that?

View Yourself in this same Holy Light in which You do view Me.  It’s True too of You.

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[Thank you Dear Brother]