LESSON THIRTY ONE

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.

Workbook PART I

L e s s o n 31

I am not the victim of the world I see.

It really isn’t ‘doing it’ to Me. “I” is the key word in the phrase: “I see.”  Which means I have some resonsibility.  Maybe more than “some”.

¹ Today’s idea is the introduction to your declaration of release. If You can choose something, You can change Your mind and un-choose it. Again, the idea should be applied to both the world you see without and the world you see within. For they are really not so different. They’re both in Your mind. In applying the idea, we will use a form of practice which will be used more and more, with changes as indicated. Generally speaking, the form includes two aspects, one in which you apply the idea on a more sustained basis, and the other consisting of frequent applications of the idea throughout the day.  These applications will be very useful for You.  Think not of them as tedious, for they’re leading You to Your freedom and great happiness.

² Two longer periods of practice with the idea for today are needed, one in the morning and one at night. Three to five minutes for each of them are recommended. During that time, look about you slowly while repeating the idea two or three times. Then close your eyes and apply the same idea to your inner world. You will escape from both together, for the inner is the cause of the outer.  However, the ego thinks differently, feeling at effect of the world it sees. Before the separation there were no victims for everything was always in perfect harmony.

³ As you survey your inner world, merely let whatever thoughts cross your mind come into your awareness, each to be considered for a moment and then replaced by the next. Try not to establish any thought of hierarchy among them. For they are random. Watch them come and go as dispassionately as possible. Do not dwell on any one in particular, but try to let the stream move on evenly and calmly, without any special investment on your part. They could ‘belong’ to anyone at all.  Just random thoughts floating through the ether. As you sit and quietly watch your thoughts, repeat today’s idea to yourself as often as you care to, but with no sense of hurry.  Allow Yourself to feel a sense of peace.

⁴ In addition, repeat the idea for today as often as possible during the day. Remind yourself that you are making a declaration of independence in the name of your own freedom. And in your freedom lies the freedom of the world.  Could it be the world is victim of Me?

⁵ The idea for today is a particularly useful one to use as a response to any form of temptation. It is a declaration that you will not yield to it and put yourself in bondage.

You might say it is a stand for freedom: a declaration of independence.