LESSON TWENTY

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 am determined to see.  This statement shows the importance of these Lessons.  They’re not exercises that are trivial at all, but crucial both to Your happiness and to Your own freedom.

¹ We have been quite casual about our practice periods thus far. There has been virtually no attempt to direct the time for undertaking them, minimal effort has been required, and not even active cooperation and interest have been asked. This casual approach has been intentional and very carefully planned.  Why? So as to bypass the selfishness of the ego, and necessary reversal to the Unity of Divine Community: God’s revelation of Reality.

Notice here that I say “revelation” rather than re-creation.  In other words, Reality does stand unchanged by Your dreaming of an unreality.  Heaven but waits for Your return, perfect through Eternity.

We have not lost sight of the crucial importance of the reversal of your thinking. Yes, Yours!  For I speak to each One of You.  You are important.  There is no: ‘Let George or Mary do it.’ Your “little willingness” is needed.  For it is Your willingness I need, as well as George and Mary’s. (I know I am being repetitive.)

I stand as the open door.  Hold My hand and We will walk through it together. The salvation of the world depends on it. For the world is not a thing, but a certain state of consciousness quite limited. Yet you will not see if you regard yourself as being coerced and if you give in to resentment and opposition.  And why would You but to keep Your old, worn out way of thinking?

I hold out My hand to You, and You barely say ‘No thanks!’ as You add: ‘I’ll keep My own way of thinking.  That’s what keeps You tightly bound to dreaming.  It’s very simple.

² This is our first attempt to introduce structure. Do not misconstrue it as an effort to exert force or pressure. You want salvation.  Structure will not bind You, quite the contrary.  What it will do is give to You a place where You can find true freedom, a clear and proper focus.  You want to be happy. You want peace.  And You have not yet experienced them. You do not have them now because your mind is totally undisciplined, and you cannot distinguish between joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain, love and fear. For You have not really known what You truly wanted, nor known how to achieve them.  You are now learning how to tell them apart. And great indeed will be your reward.

³ Your decision to see is all that vision requires. What you want is yours. Do not mistake the little effort that is asked of you for a sign that our goal is of little worth. Or would You prefer to hang on to some tasty grievances  Can the salvation of the world be a trivial purpose? Do not You and Your Brothers deserve both pure peace and great joy? And can the world be saved if you are not? God has one Son, and he is the resurrection and the life. His will is done because all power is given him in Heaven and on earth.  You have forgotten who You are, become blind to Your own Self. In your determination to see is vision given you.  Your blindness healed as Your Vision returns, gladness given You.

⁴ The exercises for today consist in reminding yourselves throughout the day that you want to see.  God gladly grants to You Your desires.  Today’s idea also tacitly implies the recognition that you do not see now. Therefore, as you repeat the idea, you are stating that you are determined to change your present state for a better one, and one you really want.  You acknowledge that it is a present possibility. And, indeed, it is.  And a probable Reality to be accomplished.

⁵ Repeat today’s idea slowly and positively at least twice an hour today, attempting to do so every half hour. Do not be distressed if you forget to do so, but make a real effort to remember. The extra repetitions should be applied to any situation, person, or event which upsets you. You can see them differently, and you will. What you desire, you will see. Such is the real law of cause and effect as it operates in the world.  Watch what You ask for! You get what You want.

 

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