Category: Libro de Ejercicios

My mind is part of God’s. I am very holy.

1. Today’s idea does not describe how you see yourself now.^I

²However, it does describe what Vision will show you.

³It is difficult for anyone who thinks he is in this world to believe this about himself.

⁴Not believing it is precisely why he thinks he is in this world.

2. You will believe that you are part of the place where you think you are.

²This is because you surround yourself with the environment you desire, and you want it to protect the image you have made of yourself.^II

³That image is also part of that environment.

⁴What you see while you believe you are there, you see through the eyes of that image you made.

⁵That is not seeing.

⁶Images cannot see.^III

3. Today’s idea presents you with a very different view of yourself.

²In establishing your Source, it also establishes your Identity, and it describes you as you must really be.

³Today we will apply the idea in a slightly different manner, because we will place more emphasis on the perceiver than on what is perceived.

4. Begin each of the three five-minute sessions by repeating today’s idea silently to yourself. Then close your eyes and search your mind for various terms you use to describe yourself.

²Include all the ego-based attributes you associate with yourself—positive or negative, desirable or undesirable, grand or demeaning.^IV

³They are all equally unreal, because you do not see yourself through the eyes of Holiness.

5. In the first phase of your mind-searching, you will likely emphasize what you consider your more negative traits.

²Later in the practice period, however, more flattering terms may occur to you.

³Try to understand that the content of the fantasies you hold about yourself does not matter.

⁴Illusions have no meaning in Reality.

⁵They are simply not true.

6. A suitable list for applying today’s idea might include:

²I see myself as subject to obligations.

³I see myself as depressed.

⁴I see myself as a failure.

⁵I see myself as in danger.

⁶I see myself as helpless.

⁷I see myself as successful.

⁸I see myself as a loser.

⁹I see myself as charitable.

¹⁰I see myself as virtuous.

7. You should not think of these terms abstractly.

²They will come to you as particular situations, people, and events in which you figure come to mind.

³Choose any specific situation that occurs to you, identify the term or terms that seem to apply to your reactions, and use them to apply today’s idea.

⁴After naming each one, add:

⁵But my mind is part of God’s Mind.

⁶I am very holy.

8. During the longer sessions, there may be intervals when nothing specific occurs to you.

²Do not strain to find things to fill the time. Simply relax and repeat today’s idea slowly until something comes to mind.

³While you should not leave anything out that comes to you in the exercises, do not force anything to appear.

⁴Use no effort or judgment.

9. As often as possible during the day, take any specific attribute or attributes you are assigning to yourself at that moment and apply today’s idea to them, adding the phrase in the form given earlier.^V

²If nothing in particular occurs to you, simply repeat the idea silently with eyes closed.

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^I Of course your mind is part of the Mind of God! How could it not be? How do you think you came into existence? You do not know what your mind is because you do not recognize it. You live in a tiny part of it and have relinquished its totality. You have decided to “create” a small kingdom in an infinitesimal corner of the Mind of God, just for yourself. Do you not find this at least a little pathetic?

You see yourself as extremely limited in time, space, and in capacities you nonetheless long for. And you certainly do not consider yourself holy. That is your opinion. But the question is: is it true? You are not even in a position to answer that question because you are confused. You even believe you do not know who or what you are. And this is to be expected, since you are not using your mind correctly. If you were, you would be happy. The proof that you are misusing your mind is that you are not.

The reason for what is happening to you could be explained in many different ways. You might, for instance, tell yourself that you are following the wrong guide, that you have identified with your ego, or you might elaborate countless other explanations. But at bottom, the true reason you see yourself as you do is very simple: you see yourself this way because that is exactly what you want.

Be honest. Is it not true that you want to be you? Look at it closely, and then look again, because this is what is happening here: you are as you see yourself because that is what you truly want. And do you know what? Your will is always done because you are the Son of God.

Look carefully: even when you say you want to change and be different, be better, in reality what you want instead is to be the one who says he wants to change, not what that change would actually produce in you. For in that case, you would disappear in order to become that new thing—and you do not want to disappear. Reflect on this, for it is precisely where all resistance to change lies.

Do not worry. You will change, because the idea you have of yourself is an illusion, and if anything defines illusions it is change. For now, all that is asked of you is to have a small willingness to change your way of thinking and to trust. Do not interfere, and the change will happen naturally.

^II Here you are given a clear indication of why you perceive what you believe you have before you: because in this way you protect the idea you have of yourself. That is, you have made out of nothing a world in your own image and likeness.

Might it not be, then, that this god of Genesis is none other than the ego?

Realize that at bottom, your entire human experience is related to your false identity; it comes from what you believe you are. Therefore, change the idea you have of yourself and the world you behold will change accordingly.

That is why you have been called to be the savior of the world, for that is nothing other than your own salvation.

^III Of course, images can only imagine. If you think you are an engineer, you will see the world through the eyes of an engineer. If you think you are a poet, you will see a poetic world. Different self-concepts lead to different interpretations of reality.

The issue is that the idea you have of yourself is utterly capricious and arbitrary. Yet it is evident you do not consider it so and base that idea on powerful “reasons.” Do not deceive yourself. The proof that this idea of yourself is false is that it changes constantly over time. How could something that changes without ceasing be true?

^IV Notice how here personality is equated with ego.

^V Realize that, while when you honestly question your identity you are unable to conclude what or who you are, when that sincere questioning attitude relaxes you begin to assign yourself a multitude of attributes you believe yourself to be. It seems as though, throughout the day, you have a very precise opinion of yourself, for you are constantly judging yourself.

Which, if you stop to think about it, should surprise you, for the same being who humbly claims not to know his true identity has no qualms in qualifying, judging, rewarding, or condemning himself—and not only himself but also everyone and everything he beholds. Even more, these judgments change constantly over time, and the last one always seems to be the most valid and accurate.

Do you not see that your mind is simply running a cheap and miserable program written by your ego? How can you be so naïve as to subscribe to its verdicts? And what makes you think those thoughts are “yours”? Certainly, you are the witness to all that delirium, but you can be sure that “that” is not you.

I could see peace instead of this.^I

1. Today’s idea begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the other way of seeing.

²Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter.

³It must begin with your own thoughts and then extend outward.

⁴A peaceful perception of the world arises from a peaceful mind.^II

2. Three longer practice periods are required for today’s exercises.

²One is recommended in the morning, another in the evening, and a third at whatever time seems most suitable between the two.

³All applications should be made with your eyes closed.

⁴Today’s idea applies to your inner world.

3. Each longer session requires about five minutes of mind searching.

²Search your mind for thoughts of fear, situations that cause anxiety, people you find “offensive,” or anything else about which you are harboring unloving thoughts.

³As you see each one arise in your mind, observe it without emphasizing any particular one while you repeat today’s idea slowly, allowing each to be replaced by the next.

⁴If you begin to have difficulty thinking of specific subjects, simply continue repeating the idea silently, without hurrying and without applying it to anything in particular.

⁵Be sure, however, not to exclude anything intentionally.

4. Shorter applications should be frequent and made whenever you feel your peace of mind is threatened in any way.

²The aim is to protect yourself from temptation throughout the day.

³If a specific form of temptation arises in your awareness, use the exercise in this way:

⁴I could see peace in this situation instead of what I now see in it.

⁵If the attacks on your peace of mind take the form of more general adverse emotions—such as depression, anxiety, or vague uneasiness—use the idea in its original form.^III

5. If you find that more than one application of today’s idea is needed to help you shift your mind in any specific context, try to take a few minutes and devote them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief.

²It may be helpful to say to yourself:

³I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety, or worry— or my thoughts about this situation or person—with peace.

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^I Of course you can see peace instead of what you are now seeing! You can see whatever you wish because you can interpret your perception any way you like. But once again—do you really want to see differently? Do you truly want peace? Be completely honest with yourself in answering this question.

Before you do, ask yourself another fundamental question: why are you interpreting your perception in a painful way? Or, more simply: what are you interpreting the situation for? With what purpose?

If you are able to dive into the darkest depths of your mind, you will discover—surprisingly and uncomfortably—that the reason behind your painful interpretations is the “pleasure” you find in them. This idea may scandalize you and you may reject it immediately. Be careful. Look closely. There is nothing you do in your life that is not aimed at seeking pleasure or improving your perceived condition. What happens is that you do not know how to distinguish between pleasure and pain. You are completely confused and, obviously, you do not know what is good for you.

You live your life in a disordered way, guided by your own criteria, and the result is disaster. Yet you find it extremely difficult to renounce those criteria. Your ego has misled you.

You could see peace instead of this, and that truly is to your absolute benefit, because peace belongs to God, just as you do. You are free to go with God’s Laws or against them—you can choose. However, be very honest when you ask yourself what you are actually seeking.

Choose well and choose soon—or not. But remember you have all the power to do with your life whatever you truly want.

^II Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter; it depends entirely on you and on the story you choose to tell yourself. Your mental and emotional states are exclusively of your own making.

Repeat the visualization exercise proposed yesterday, but go a little further: sit down, close your eyes, and begin to fantasize, imagining that you are the heroic protagonist of a story in which you bring peace to a conflict situation. Involve yourself in that fantasy in any way that occurs to you and let the story unfold on its own in favorable and benevolent terms. Solve problems in that imaginary world with confidence, and if you do it well, you will end up moved, full of good feelings, and with a certain sense of power. Then, trying to maintain that mental and emotional state, get up and interact with someone close to you in those same terms, bringing them the peace you have developed in your fantasy.

The story you fantasized is an illusion—just as the world you behold when you open your eyes or your brother’s body is. Yet the peace and love you have experienced and are able to transmit to others are absolutely real. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter and depends on your willingness to have it.

The purpose of this exercise is none other than to make you aware that your peace of mind depends on how you interpret what you perceive. In reality, you do not need to tell yourself fantastic stories to find peace, for it is already within you. But you do need to be willing to listen in your mind to a more benevolent narrative from the Holy Spirit instead of the interpretation your ego suggests. As the teaching says: “I could see peace instead of this.”

^III Notice that a vague sense of worry, anxiety, or depression are different degrees of intensity of the same thing: egoic attacks. Panic and deep depressions represent egoic attacks at their maximum, but be certain that every discomfort you feel comes from the ego’s work in your mind.

Depression is a black hole in consciousness that devours the light of your being and plunges you into darkness. Its strong pull arises from an excessive sense of personal importance that reverses the natural, expansive direction of love toward a black inwardness where there is nothing. The experience of that nothingness is profoundly terrifying.

Remember that ego means “I” in Latin, while its opposite is alter, “the other.” Therefore, the opposite of egoism is altruism. Salvation will always be found in your brother; do not look for it in yourself.

Depression is healed by altruism. If you are depressed, stop thinking about yourself. Stop focusing on your unhappiness, your fear, your anguish, or your depression. Do not worry about seeking peace or the salvation of your immortal soul. Forget all that.

What is real in you is in no danger. Your immortal soul is perfectly safe in the Heart of God. Stop feeling important. Forget yourself and try to do something for your brothers. You will soon see how you come out of the darkness.

Invoking peace will certainly help you out of your anxieties and depressions, but bringing peace to others will establish that peace in your mind permanently. Do not doubt it.

There is another way of looking at the world.^I

1. Today’s idea is an attempt to recognize that the perception of the world can be changed in both its outer and inner aspects.

²Five full minutes should be devoted to the morning and evening practice sessions.

2. During these practice periods, the idea should be repeated as often as feels comfortable, though it is essential that the applications not be done hurriedly.

²Alternate between observing your external and internal perceptions, but try not to switch between them abruptly.

³Look quietly around at the world you perceive as outside yourself.

⁴Then close your eyes and examine your thoughts with the same calmness.

⁵Try to regard them both with equal detachment, and maintain that detachment as you repeat today’s idea throughout the day.

3. The shorter practices should be as frequent as possible.

²The specific application of today’s idea should also be made immediately whenever any situation disturbs you.

³In such cases, say:

⁴There is another way of looking at this.^II

4. Remember to apply today’s idea the moment you become aware of distress.

²You may find it helpful to sit quietly for a minute or so and repeat the idea several times in silence.

³Closing your eyes will likely assist you in this kind of application.

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^I Of course! How could there not be? It is evident that you can interpret your perception any way you like; that much is clear. Yet the fundamental issue is not that. The basic question is: do you want to? Do you want with all your heart to see the world differently? If you truly desire it, you will certainly see it. And if you do not, ask yourself very seriously to what extent you are willing to forgive, to relinquish your former interpretations, and to renounce being “right”—your “right.”

In essence, the ego is nothing more than “personal judgment.” Put that way, it sounds rather innocent, and may even appear to be a concept carrying a certain dignity. Be careful! It is neither innocent nor dignified. The ego is a usurper of God’s functions, though it does not present itself as such.

The ego will try to convince you not only that you are perfectly capable of interpreting reality according to your own judgment, but also that this is your duty and responsibility. It is not. You have not yet realized this because you still believe that what you behold is reality.

There are two ways to reach a deep awareness of this great truth. The simple, easy way is discernment: the light of the obvious. But only the non-arrogant can walk this path, and there are very few of these in the world.

The other way is hard and painful. It is the path of surrender and renunciation, which comes only when suffering becomes so great it can no longer be managed or endured. The good practice of the exercises in this Workbook allows for a joyful transition into the light without suffering, but it demands a great willingness to change. Change will occur to the extent that this willingness is sincere. Remember: you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Take advantage of this opportunity.

In that movie theater that constitutes your individual mind, any kind of film can be projected: sinister films of guilt and condemnation that make you shudder, or happy films of love and forgiveness. The fact is you tend to write scripts of the former and need help to write happy scripts that lead you to awakening. That Helper is the Holy Spirit, and that is precisely His function: to offer you an alternative interpretation of the symbols you project.

In the end, what appears on the screen of consciousness remains an illusion—but what do you prefer? To leave the theater laughing or crying? If what you call “my personal life” is nothing but a story you tell yourself—and this is an evident fact—it is better to be careful in choosing to whom you ask for help in writing that story.

^II It is hard to put into words the necessity you have of doing this. Yet if you aspire to accomplish anything with this Course, you should remember this invocation almost constantly: you need to do so. You will realize it with absolute clarity when you experience your first holy instant, for in that moment you will discover, with some surprise, that you no longer need to see the world differently. But until that happens, remember you hold in your hands the perfect tool for straightening out your perception.

To say: “There is another way of seeing this, and I want to find it” is to invoke the Holy Spirit to open your eyes and show you a flawless world. That world has always been there, but you did not know how to see it. Have absolute certainty that He will always answer your request. You only need to clear your mind of every expectation, trust Him, and be willing to hear His Answer.

To demonstrate the subjective and arbitrary character of your interpretation of reality, you may practice the following visualization technique. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably and without interruptions. Close your eyes and imagine a fantasy in which you are the protagonist. Allow your mind to construct a narrative where you interact with other people, real or fictional. These interactions may be dramatic, happy, sad, or conflictive; the specific content does not matter. What matters is letting the story flow naturally, without trying to control it too much.

As the story unfolds in your imagination, pay attention to your emotions. Notice how your emotional state shifts according to the events you are imagining, much like when you watch a movie. At the end of the practice, reflect on this: that narrative you created and the emotions it generated are no different from what you call “reality.” Both are manifestations of your mind interacting with stimuli—whether external or internal—and giving them meaning.

If you wish, you can use this technique to deliberately change your emotional state. For example, you may imagine a story that evokes positive or calming emotions when you feel distressed or anxious. This will allow you to understand that your emotions are not fixed, but malleable. This practice not only fosters self-awareness about how our mind shapes the perception of reality, but also provides a useful tool for emotional management and the transformation of inner states.

When you ask the Holy Spirit: “I want to see this differently,” the technique takes on a different dynamic. In this case, you are not the one creating the narrative; instead, you are inviting the Holy Spirit to be the scriptwriter of the story with which you will relate. You also allow Him to use elements of your perception to build His interpretation of the circumstance you are experiencing.

You can be certain that the interpretation He will place in your mind will be the one that produces the best possible outcome for all people involved. It will also be the one most fitting for God’s plan for your salvation. In this way, you not only transform your perception of the situation, but also allow it to align with a higher purpose, trusting fully that the Holy Spirit knows how to use every experience for the benefit of your spiritual growth and that of those around you.

Be honest and recognize that your identification with your own character is absolute. You have an idea of yourself, and that is what you believe you are, no matter how much you repeat to yourself that you are the Son of God. You cannot make yourself holy; that is impossible and, moreover, it is not your task.

Your task is to place your will in service of creating the necessary conditions for your awakening—nothing more. For that to occur, it is essential that you see the world differently: a forgiven world.

That is the fundamental reason why you need to ask the Holy Spirit for an interpretation that brings about in you the happy dreams that will lead you to the real world—the antechamber of awakening.

The difficulty you face now, along with all your problems and sufferings, stems from the importance you grant to the stories you tell yourself, which is in turn a projection of your own sense of personal importance. Those narratives that appear in your mind—your interpretation of what you perceive and the idea you hold of yourself—are false, but they become operative and causal because you believe they are true and important. They are not, but you have forced your mind to think they are.

The word “important,” from the Latin importans (that which carries inward, that which introduces), designates what brings something that becomes fundamental. Realize that this importance is nothing but a gratuitous gesture of the mind, sponsored by the ego. The event itself, the perceived, has no intrinsic ontological meaning; that meaning is your own contribution. The sane response to that hallucination of the mind is forgiveness: the benevolent gesture of mind that frees you from that pernicious fantasy. This Course is precisely about that.

I have invented the world I see.

1. Today we continue developing the theme of cause and effect.

²You are not the victim of the world you see because you made it.^I

³You can give it up just as easily as you made it.

⁴You will see it or not see it, as you wish.

⁵As long as you want it, you will see it; when you no longer want it, you will not see it.^II

2. Today’s idea, like the previous ones, applies both to your inner world and to the outer world, which are actually the same.

²However, since you see them as different, today’s practice periods will also include two phases: one devoted to the world you see outside, and the other to the world you see in your mind.

³In today’s exercises, try to introduce the thought that both are in your own imagination.

3. Once again, begin the morning and evening practice periods by repeating today’s idea two or three times as you look slowly around at the world you see outside yourself.

²Then close your eyes and examine your inner world.

³Try to treat both worlds the same.

⁴Repeat today’s idea slowly to yourself as often as you wish, while you observe the images your imagination presents to your awareness.

4. For the two longer practice periods, three to five minutes are recommended, and no fewer than three are required.

²If you find the exercises comfortable, you may extend them beyond five minutes.

³To facilitate this, choose a time when you are likely to be undisturbed and when you feel reasonably ready.

5. These exercises should also be continued throughout the day, as often as possible.

²The shorter applications consist of repeating the idea slowly while you watch either your inner world or the outer one.

³It does not matter which you choose.

6. Today’s idea should also be applied immediately to any situation that may disturb you.

²Apply the idea by saying to yourself:

³I have invented this situation as I see it.

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^I You are still in the movie theater, enthralled by the film you are watching, and you laugh or cry because you have forgotten that you yourself were the scriptwriter and the director of the story. But, since you are also the protagonist, in order to play the role well you decide to forget that small detail.

Notice that you have no trouble accepting that this is exactly what happens in your nightly dreams: when you wake up, you know for sure that all the fantasies you experienced while sleeping were the product of your own mind. Well, as Jesus tells us in the Text, when you believe you wake up in the morning, you are in fact still deeply asleep, dreaming a dream of separation created by yourself. “ALL YOUR TIME IS SPENT DREAMING. Your sleeping dreams and your waking dreams take different forms, but that is all. THEIR CONTENT IS THE SAME. They are your protest AGAINST Reality, and represent your fixed and demented desire to CHANGE it to your liking.” (T-18.III.6:6–9)

^II This is true, but you do not accept it because you do not want to accept it; you would rather feel yourself a victim of a hostile world than assume you are responsible for such a monstrosity. Yet that “you” which makes imaginary worlds is not the tiny personal mind with which you identify, so prone to blaming and blaming itself for everything it perceives, even for this. The world does not exist, and that personal mind has no other entity than being a delirium within the holy Mind of the Son of God. Nevertheless, given your identification with the ego, it is inevitable that you take everything seriously and personally.

The world you have invented, holy Son of God, is a symbol made up of a myriad of lesser symbols that reflect the imaginary separation from your Father. Your desires and fears appear in that dream in defined forms you consider real, but this should not surprise you, since you recognize their inconsistency in similar manifestations of your own longings and fears. Do not these figures also appear when you close your eyes at night? Do you not see them in your imagination when you daydream? You believe in them while you behold them, and it is precisely because you believe in them that you conceive them. Yet you know they are not true when you regain a bit of sanity or awaken in the morning.

None of those figures is real; no form can be real. Reality is like you, like God: a perfectly abstract idea. The Mind of the Son of God can create—like its Father—by extending its loving existence, but it can also believe in illusions. However, it cannot make them real or create anything different from its own nature. That is the Law of God.

Your personal mind believes it cannot change the forms it sees nor transgress the supposed laws that govern them. This limitation exists because the mind itself has imposed that belief upon itself; it has defined itself as limited. To change a belief is as painful and difficult for that mind as killing a child, because beliefs are the fruit of deep desires. Changing them requires wanting something different with the same intensity with which you once conceived them—or even greater.

This is a Course about will, and in it you are urged to want differently. That is why your honest willingness to change is so important and emphasized. The reason change seems so difficult is that you do not tell yourself the truth about what you really desire. You say you want one thing, but it is not true. The truth is that you want something else: exactly what you are seeing, what you are granting yourself.

The Text also reminds you of this: “This is why it is necessary to answer the question, ‘What do you want?’ You are answering it every minute and every second, and what you decide is a judgment which INEVITABLY has effects. The effects of the decision follow automatically UNTIL THE DECISION IS CHANGED. […] I repeat this statement because you have not learned it. But once again: any decision can be REVOKED in the same way it was once made.” (T-5.IX.10:3–7)

The reason you perceive pain, threat, or lack is very deep and also very hard to accept. This is because, deep down, you feel guilty for your individual identity, exclusive and separate from everything. You intend to atone for that guilt by punishing yourself. You see sin in yourself and project it onto your perceptions.

This idea, like all those contained in this Workbook, does not have to be believed, but it is essential that you respect it and consider it attentively. Careful observation will show you that it is true, and then you will be ready to forgive yourself and awaken from your nightmares.

I am not the victim of the world I see.

1. Today’s idea is the introduction to your declaration of release.^I

²Once again, this idea is to be applied both to the world you see outside and to the world you experience within.

³We will now begin practicing in a format that will be used increasingly, with some adjustments as needed.

⁴In general, this type of practice involves two aspects: one in which the idea is applied more extensively, and another involving frequent applications throughout the day.

2. Two longer practice periods are required for today’s idea—one in the morning and one at night.

²Three to five minutes for each session is recommended.

³During that time, look slowly around you while repeating the idea two or three times.

⁴Then close your eyes and apply the same idea to your inner world.

⁵You will escape from both at once, because the inner world is the cause of the outer.

3. As you observe your inner world, allow the thoughts that cross your mind to enter your awareness.

²Consider each one briefly, and then replace it with the next.

³Try not to make any distinctions among them.

⁴Watch them pass by as calmly and dispassionately as possible.

⁵Do not dwell on any particular thought; instead, let the stream flow evenly and quietly, without any special effort on your part.

⁶Sit quietly, observing your thoughts as you repeat today’s idea slowly as often as you wish, but without haste.

4. In addition, repeat today’s idea as often as possible throughout the day.

²Remember that you are making a declaration of independence in the name of your own freedom.^II

³In your freedom lies the freedom of the world.

5. Today’s idea is particularly helpful as a response to any form of temptation.

²It is a statement that you will not yield to it and chain yourself.

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^I Continuing with the movie allegory, this Lesson emphasizes the fact that you, as the spectator, are not affected by what happens in the film. Your body, perhaps—but keep in mind that this too is part of the movie and, therefore, not real. The problem lies in that you, the spectator, have identified with that body you see acting in the film, and so everything that happens to that body affects you. This is the classic effect of identity projection, which makes us feel interest in and impact from the movies we watch in theaters, the novels we read, the news on television, or the stories others tell us. We project our own identity onto those characters; we believe we are them and suffer or laugh with them.

But be careful and do not take this lightly: your identification with your body is enormous. Even if you can intellectually accept that you are not your body, you will have serious difficulty forgiving the damage it suffers, whether from external attacks or from illnesses you inflict upon it yourself. Be prepared to face this situation.

You may tell yourself that to completely detach from what you perceive and to forgive it absolutely is unbecoming of you, since it would imply letting go of your own humanity. You are right—but remember: you are not human. You are the Son of God, and you are inappropriately allowing yourself a human experience that pains you deeply. Why else do you think it is so hard for you to accept this Course and to relinquish the world?

The basic criterion of reality is permanence: the impossibility of change. Everything that changes or can change is illusory. Yet you, who are real, have never changed; you have always been yourself. The awareness of being is the only real component of the idea you hold of yourself; it is the only thing that has not changed throughout your personal life. You are not a victim of the world—the movie—because you are real, and what you believe you see outside your mind is not. In your identification with the character, the awareness of being, of existing, is the only direct experience you have of your true Self.

Moreover, if I am the one who gives everything the meaning it has for me, how can I feel victimized by what I see? I perceive only my own interpretations. What I call “my personal life” is nothing but a story I tell myself. Sometimes I say I am happy because I get what I think I need and desire, and in those moments I usually harbor an exalted idea of myself. But at other times I feel miserable and frustrated because the world does not respond to my expectations.

That strange idea—that the world is wrong, but my expectations are right—based on the deepest arrogance, causes me unbearable emotional pain whenever something frustrates them. Instead of changing them and reorienting my interpretations, I project that pain outward, attack what I perceive, and blame it for my suffering: I feel victimized by the world I see.

Have you been offended? Or is it rather that you have told yourself that something is offensive? What freedom do you have if your moods and your behavior depend on others?

The truth is that your mind responds only to itself; it attends to nothing but what it grants itself. It is blind to everything else because, in reality, there is nothing apart from itself. Your mind relates only to its own illusory projections.

Your personal mind is incapable of directly changing the projected world; it cannot work miracles. Yet the truth is that your mind is not personal. Learning that you are not a victim of the world you see is the first step toward returning to the recognition of your true identity.

Right now, you cannot change what you have projected, but it is fully within your reach to change how you interpret it. You can find peace and happiness even in this world, simply by accepting with honesty and clarity that you are only victimized by your own interpretations. For this, it should be enough to become aware that, in truth, you know nothing other than those stories you tell yourself about a world outside you.

^II This is another reference to the United States Declaration of Independence (see T-4.V.2:11 for the first). In this context, the declaration of independence of the United States from Great Britain becomes a symbol for you to declare your independence from the tyranny of the world.

God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.

1. Today’s idea is the stepping stone to Vision.

²Through this idea, the world will open up before you, and as you look upon it, you will see in it something you have never seen before.^I

³What you used to see will no longer even be faintly visible to you.^II

2. Today we focus on using a new kind of projection.^III

²We are not trying to get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside of us.^IV

³Instead, we are trying to see in the world what is in our own mind, and to recognize that it is truly there.^V

⁴In this way, we seek to join with what we see, rather than keep it apart from us.^VI

⁵This is the fundamental difference between Vision and the way you see now.^VII

3. Today’s idea should be practiced as often as possible throughout the day.

²Repeat it slowly to yourself each time you remember, as you look around and try to realize that the idea applies to everything you see now, or could see if it were within your range of sight.

³True Vision is not limited by concepts such as “near” and “far.”

⁴To help you become accustomed to this idea, when applying today’s lesson, try to include both things that are beyond your physical sight and those you can see directly.

4. True Vision is not only unlimited by space or distance; it does not depend at all on the eyes of the body. ²Its only source is the mind.^VIII

³To help you adjust to this idea, apply it also with eyes closed, focusing on whatever subject comes to mind and looking inward rather than outward.

⁴Today’s idea is equally applicable in both ways.

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^I Imagine your mind as a movie theater, a hall where a film is being projected titled “My Personal Life.” In this theater there is a projector with a powerful lamp that emits a light (the Love of God) which passes through a film composed of frames (moments of the present) marked by stains (judgments) that partially block that light. The result is the projection of the movie (my personal life) onto a screen (consciousness), with which I, the spectator seated in the audience (the idea I hold of myself), completely identify. And thus, depending on the scenes of the movie, I sometimes laugh and sometimes cry. In reality, the eyes of the spectator see only a play of light and shadows, absences of light, absences of the Love of God.

Today’s Lesson proposes that we discard (forgive) those absences, which by their very condition of absence have no real entity, and focus only on the Love of God underlying everything we perceive.

Realize that without absences of light, without absences of love, no story appears on the screen; there is no movie. This is what it means that “the world does not exist,” for the world is precisely the story that arises in consciousness when reality’s absences are regarded as real. The “real world,” that happy world Jesus speaks of, which we will see just before awakening to our true identity and which is the result of seeing a forgiven world, appears in our minds when we remove from the story we are interpreting its components of fear and guilt—the “black ink” that darkens the frames of the film we believe we see.

God is in everything I see because God is in my mind, and that is the only real thing to be found there. The rest are only fantasies conceived by regarding as existent what is in fact absence.

^II This does not mean that while you believe yourself to be in the world you will cease to see forms—illusions. What it does mean is that you will forgive them and stop interpreting them in the terms you have until now, and then you will see a forgiven world—a world that appears before you barely outlined in a nearly transparent “gray ink,” the “real world.” Now all your attention is on the underlying light, the only real element of that scene.

When you become fully aware of your true identity as the Son of God, you will finally cease to see forms and the world will disappear, for it was only an illusion—the dream that the Son of God could be separate from His Father.

^III The ideas presented in the first Lessons have taught us that the world we think we see is nothing but a “projection” of the desires and fears of our mind: none of this is real; nothing we project is real. In this Lesson we are going to attempt to “project” something real for the first time—indeed, the only thing that is truly real: the Love of God.

^IV This is an essential formulation of vision: we believe we see outside ourselves what is unworthy of our holy minds—forms—and what, in truth, we do not want. And the proof that we do not want it is precisely that we see it outside. In truth we do not love illusions; we reject them by regarding them as something alien to ourselves when we see them in an imaginary outer realm. We do not even want our own body, which is why we have expelled it from our mind. In truth, we do not want anything from the world of forms.

^V There are no words that can describe the experience of holding the idea of God in the mind. Simply, there are no words. It is an experience so deeply comforting and absolute that it dissolves every concern, and even the sense of personal identity: the ego.

^VI “Projection” is a device of the mind for separating from something it conceives by assigning it the attribute of being outside itself. Now, however, this new form of projecting recognizes that what we see is real and within us—in fact, that it is what we are. The Course calls this kind of “projection” extension, and it is the dynamic proper to Creation.

^VII The vision of the body’s eyes is nothing but the observation that what you see is different from you, but true vision bears witness that everything you see is yourself, and the Course calls this “Knowing”.

^VIII What is understood as “seeing” with the body’s eyes is, in reality, nothing more than believing you see, and to believe is to think that what you imagine is real. Today, for the first time, we are going to imagine something that is true because it is real: the presence of God.

God is in everything I see.

1. Today’s idea explains why you can see the purpose of everything in anything.^I

²It explains why nothing is separate, or exists by itself or in itself.^II

³And it also explains why nothing you see means anything.^III

⁴In fact, this idea clarifies all the previous lessons and supports all those to come.

⁵It is the central foundation of Vision.

2. This idea may still seem difficult for you to grasp.

²You may find it absurd, irreverent, meaningless, even amusing or questionable.

³Surely God is not in a table, at least not as you see it.

⁴Yet yesterday we emphasized that a table shares the purpose of the universe.

⁵And what shares the purpose of the universe also shares the purpose of its Creator.^IV

3. Today, make a sincere effort to begin looking at all things with love, appreciation, and an open mind.^V

²For as you perceive them now, you are not truly seeing them.

³Do you really know what is in the things you look upon?

⁴Nothing is as it appears to you.

⁵Their holy purpose lies beyond your limited understanding.^VI

⁶When Vision has shown you the holiness that lights up the world, you will understand today’s idea perfectly.

⁷And you will not understand how you ever found it difficult.

4. Today we will have six two-minute practice periods, following a familiar pattern:

²Begin by repeating the idea silently, then apply it to randomly chosen objects around you, naming each one specifically.

³Avoid the temptation to choose the subjects yourself, which may be especially strong given the completely foreign nature of today’s idea.

⁴Remember that any order you impose is equally foreign to reality.

⁵Therefore, your list of subjects should be as random as possible, free from your own selections.

5. A suitable list might include:

²God is in this coat rack.

³God is in this magazine.

⁴God is in this finger.

⁵God is in this lamp.

⁶God is in that body.

⁷God is in that door.

⁸God is in that wastebasket.

6. In addition to the assigned practice periods, repeat today’s idea at least once every hour.

²As you do, look around you slowly, saying the words unhurriedly.

³At least once or twice, you should experience a sense of rest in doing so.

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^I W-28.6:1: “By using the table as the subject for applying today’s idea, you are therefore really asking to see the purpose of the universe.”

This statement encapsulates the depth of the exercises in Lesson 28, where even the most mundane object—such as a table—is elevated as a symbol of universal purpose. It underscores the concept that everything, regardless of its apparent simplicity, shares the unified purpose of the universe and reflects the divine intention behind all existence. In practicing this idea, you are learning to transcend superficial perceptions and to open yourself to the infinite depth and holiness present in all things, thus aligning your mind with God’s vision.

^II W-28.2:3–4: “Yet what does exist by itself? And what does ‘in itself’ mean?”

These lines challenge the idea of independent existence, a concept deeply rooted in the ego’s framework. They invite you to question the validity of perceiving things as separate and self-sufficient. According to the Course, nothing exists “by itself” because everything is interconnected and shares a single purpose established by its Creator. The expression “in itself” refers to the ego’s tendency to define objects and experiences as isolated from the whole. By posing these rhetorical questions, the Course encourages you to abandon the belief in separation and to recognize the inherent unity and shared purpose of all things in the universe.

^III W-1: “Nothing I see in this room… means anything.”

This first Lesson introduces the fundamental principle that meaning is not inherent in the things we perceive. The perception of the world is subjective, based on the mind’s projections. Therefore, everything you believe you see has no intrinsic meaning, but only the meaning you have given it. The Lesson does not expect you to fully understand this idea right away, but rather to begin questioning your assumptions about the world you see. It is a first step toward dismantling the beliefs that reinforce the illusion of separation.

^IV It is crucial to interpret this line correctly, as it does not imply that God created the universe as you perceive it. God is Existence Itself and creates everything that is by extending His Own Being; that is God’s true Creation: the Love of God, Reality. The perceptual universe, on the other hand, is a fragmented interpretation of the mind affected by the idea of separation. God’s presence in everything does not mean He created the illusions of the perceptual world. Rather, it points to the truth that beyond your fragmented perception, everything shares the sacred purpose of reflecting God’s Love and leading you back to the awareness of your oneness with Him. Grasping this distinction is key to embracing the transformative path offered by this Course: moving from perceiving illusions to recognizing Reality, which is the Love of God in all.

^V Instead of looking at things with greed and evaluating them solely in terms of their usefulness for satisfying your imagined needs, try to behold everything with love and appreciation. Be respectful of what surrounds you, treat it with care, humility, and gratitude, and you will discover that things return the love you give them and reveal their secrets to you.

In truth, nothing is hidden and no mystery exists; it was your rapacious and limited gaze that kept you blind to their beauty. Be generous with the world, offer it your friendship, and you will find yourself surrounded by friends. Even inanimate objects will come alive before your eyes and speak to you with gratitude.

A practical way to apply today’s idea is to integrate it into your daily tasks. For example, if you are hanging clothes, you might say: “God is in this shirt,” “God is in this sheet.” If you are washing, you might say: “God is in this glass,” “God is in this dish.” You will discover, to your surprise, that activities which once seemed tedious or bothersome will now feel much more pleasant and fascinating. Instead of exhausting you, these tasks will fill you with energy and joy.

This exercise is very simple and carries no risk; on the contrary, it is profoundly liberating. The idea of God brings surprising joy wherever you apply it, besides being absolutely true and timely.

Remember that such “open-mindedness” is the last characteristic of God’s Teachers, but it is also the first, for it is what places you in the receptive attitude necessary to undertake a Course on truth.

^VI Again, be very careful in interpreting this kind of Lesson, and do not feel frustrated if you cannot see God in that table, because that “is beyond your little reach.” Jesus is not asking you to do that now, because He knows you cannot. What He does ask of you, and what you can indeed do, is simply to want to see God in that table.

That is all. It is enough that this be your desire and your will. With that simple act you are already doing so much, and there is great joy in Heaven for your effort and devotion.

Remember that you are a student in a Course of mind training. You graduate only when your mind is filled with light and joy, and in that moment you will know that you need learn nothing more.

Above all else I want to see things differently.^I

1. Today we are giving a very specific application to the idea we practiced yesterday.

²During these practice periods, you will make a series of well-defined commitments.

³Whether or not you will keep them in the future is not our concern now.

⁴If you are willing to make them now, you have already begun the path to keeping them.^II

⁵And remember, we are still at the beginning.

2. You may wonder why it is important to say something like, “Above all else, I want to see this table differently.”

²Saying it, in itself, means nothing.

³But what really exists in itself?

⁴And what does in itself even mean? ^III

⁵You see many separate things around you, which means you are actually seeing nothing.

⁶Either you see, or you do not.^IV

⁷Once you have seen one thing differently, you will see all things differently.

⁸The light you see in any one of them is the same light you will see in all.

3. In saying, “Above all else, I want to see this table differently,” you are committing yourself to relinquish all your preconceived ideas about the table and to open your mind to what it really is and what it is for.

²You are not defining it in terms of your past.

³Instead of stating what it is, you are asking what it is.

⁴You are not limiting its meaning to your narrow experience of tables, nor restricting its purpose to your own personal thoughts, which mean nothing.

4. You do not question what you have already defined.

²Yet the purpose of these exercises is to ask questions and receive the answers.

³In saying, “Above all else, I want to see this table differently,” you are making a commitment to see.

⁴This commitment is not exclusive.

⁵It applies just as much to the table as to anything else, without distinctions.

5. In fact, you could gain Vision from that one table—if you were to let go of all your ideas about it completely, and look at it with a mind entirely open.

²That table has something to show you—something beautiful, pure, and of infinite value, filled with joy and hope.^V

³Hidden beneath all your ideas about it lies its real purpose, which it shares with the entire universe.

6. Therefore, by using the table as the subject for today’s idea, you are actually asking to see the purpose of the universe.

²You will be making the same request of every object you use in today’s practice.

³And with each one, you are committing yourself to allow its purpose to be revealed to you, rather than to impose your own judgment upon it.

7. Today we will have six practice periods of two minutes each, in which you will first repeat the idea for the day and then apply it to anything you see around you.

²You should not only choose the subjects at random, but you should also treat each one with equal sincerity, recognizing that they are all equally valuable in contributing to your attainment of Vision.

8. As usual, the applications of today’s idea should include the name of the object your eyes light upon, while you say:

²Above all else, I want to see this ____ differently.

³Each application should be done slowly and as consciously as possible.

⁴There is no hurry.

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^I Above all, I want to see things without any component of fear. I have attributed meaning to everything (W-2) based on its usefulness in meeting my needs—that is, the lacks I perceive in myself. Feeling lacking generates fear, and thus, when I affirm that I want to see things differently, I am really asking to stop relating to the world from fear.

Where there is no fear, there is joy and peace.

^II These lines make it clear that Jesus understands perfectly your uncertainty about your ability to succeed in practicing this Workbook. Your doubts about yourself are understandable and justified, because, in fact, you are not capable of achieving the goals on your own. That is evident.

Yet do not worry. Your ability is not required to achieve these goals. If you could reach them by yourself, you would not need this practice or the help of the Holy Spirit.

Trust. All that is asked of you is a small willingness to learn and change, and to follow the instructions as faithfully as possible. Nothing more is required. You will not be the author of your own salvation, but you will be saved. You will emerge from your bad dreams, and this will happen without your knowing how.

It is possible that this kind of Lesson, which presents things incomprehensible to you, may feel especially challenging. Do not allow thoughts of discouragement or inadequacy to arise because you consider yourself incapable of achieving certain results. Goals are the ego’s concern, and you, as the Son of God, need achieve nothing, because your Father has already given you everything.

These Lessons are designed for you to cultivate obedience, trust, and willingness. Practice the Lesson with care, remain at peace, and feel fully justified.

^III The “self” of a thing is the simplest and purest concept one can conceive about it. That is why it is inaccessible to the egoic mind, just as is the notion of “being,” the foundation of all ontology.

The answer to these two complex, evidently ontological questions will be found in the next Lesson. Be patient and prepare your mind to be completely receptive to tomorrow’s idea.

^IV The notion of true vision proposed by this Course far transcends the mere perception of physical objects. It is intrinsically linked to the understanding of their purpose in perfect integration with the observer, the totality of the perceptual environment, and its function in the universe. To see means to know, to be, to love, and to create, all at once; they are inseparable aspects of existence itself.

If you do not understand this, do not worry at all. That is a sign you are on the right path, since it is something entirely inaccessible to the egoic mind. Recognizing that you do not understand means you are not deceiving yourself. A moment will come when you will experience understanding, but the one who understands will not be the same as the one who does not understand now. You will have learned, and in that learning you will have changed. True vision implies the absence of the ego—the absence of “that one who does not understand.”

^V This line is crucial because, for the first time, it hints at the content of true vision. Ultimately, what you are beholding, what you have before you, is your own Self.

Above all else I want to see.

1. Today’s idea expresses something deeper than a mere decision.^I

²It gives Vision the highest priority among all your desires.

³You may feel hesitant to use this idea because you are not sure you can say it with complete sincerity.

⁴That does not matter.

⁵The purpose of today’s exercises is to bring you a little closer to the moment when this idea will be entirely true for you.

2. You may be strongly tempted to believe that you are being asked to make some kind of sacrifice when you declare that, above all else, you want to see.

²If this lack of reservation makes you uncomfortable, you may add:

³Vision costs nothing to anyone.

⁴And if the fear of loss persists, you can also say:

⁵It can only bless.^II

3. Today’s idea requires frequent repetition in order to bring you the greatest benefit. ²You should practice it at least every half hour, and more often if possible.^III

³Try, if you can, to practice every fifteen to twenty minutes.

⁴It is advisable that, upon awakening or shortly thereafter, you set a specific rhythm for applying the idea throughout the day and commit yourself to following it.

⁵It will not be difficult to do this, even while engaging in conversation or other activities.

⁶You can always repeat a short phrase silently without interfering in any way.

4. The real question is: how often will you remember to do it?

²How much do you want today’s idea to be true?

³Answer either of these questions, and you have answered the other.

⁴You may forget to practice at times—or even many times.

⁵Do not be disturbed by this, but make a genuine effort to return to your schedule each time you notice you have strayed.^IV

⁶If only once during the day you repeat today’s idea with perfect sincerity, you can be sure that you have saved yourself many years of effort.^V

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^I This Lesson reinforces the declaration of Lesson 20: “I am determined to see,” and together they mark the culmination of earlier Lessons focused on undoing, of a negative character. These are luminous Lessons that present the solution to the darkness of the world’s thought system: the truth.

It is the will to know the truth that frees you from the illusion of death.

“You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:33).

^II When you state today’s idea, it is not necessary to use exactly the formula proposed. Avoid falling into ritualism; that is equivalent to believing in magic. What truly matters is that you clearly understand the essence of what the idea conveys. Once you grasp it, express it in your own way. In fact, doing so is more effective, because it feels more natural and encounters less resistance.

For example, you could state today’s idea in this way: “What matters most to me, what I desire above all in this life, is to truly see. Jesus has told me that I do not have to pay any price for this, and that it can only bless me and everything around me, and I believe Him. This is what I truly want, and I want it to happen as soon as possible.”

Formulating the idea in this way—or in another that occurs to you—will make it much more workable. It is also essential that you understand that its effectiveness will increase if you connect it to a sincere emotion, felt from the depths of your heart. Ideas supported by emotions are incredibly powerful. Remember this principle throughout all your practice with this Workbook.

^III This is the first time you are asked to use an idea intensively throughout the day, something that will also be required with many other ideas in the future.

^IV Throughout the practice of the exercises in this Workbook, it is absolutely essential to banish completely the idea of guilt. You must remember that you always do the best you can and give all the love you have. Even so, always try to give a little more. Remember that no effort, however small, is wasted.

^V This line hints that the task of reversing your thought system is a monumental feat that will require time, effort, and tremendous determination. Yet consider the reward: it is infinite. There is no alternative that can compare, nor any way of using your time that could benefit you more.

Moreover, you can be certain that along the way you will encounter innumerable rewards that will surprise you, heal you, and also heal those around you. Remember: this is A Course in Miracles.

My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.

1. It is clear that if you can be attacked, then you are not invulnerable.

²You perceive attack as a real threat.

³This is because you believe that you yourself can genuinely attack.

⁴And what can have effects through you must also have effects on you.^I

⁵This very law will ultimately save you.

⁶But for now, you are misusing it.

⁷Therefore, you must learn how to use it in your favor rather than against yourself.

2. In projecting your attack thoughts, which is inevitable, you will come to fear attack.

²And if you fear attack, it is because you believe you are not invulnerable.

³Thus, attack thoughts make you vulnerable in your own mind, which is where those thoughts reside.^II

⁴Attack thoughts and invulnerability cannot coexist in your mind.

⁵They are in direct contradiction.

3. Today’s idea introduces the notion that you always attack yourself first.

²If attack thoughts imply the belief that you are vulnerable, then their effect is to weaken you in your own eyes.

³Thus, these thoughts attack your perception of yourself.

⁴And by believing in them, you lose the ability to believe in yourself.

⁵A false image of yourself has taken the place of what you truly are.^III

4. Practicing today’s idea will help you understand that both vulnerability and invulnerability are the result of your own thoughts.

²Nothing except your own thoughts can attack you.

³Nothing except your own thoughts can make you believe you are vulnerable.

⁴And nothing except your own thoughts can prove to you that this is not true.^IV

5. Six practice periods are required for today’s idea.

²Try to devote a full two minutes to each session, although you may reduce it to one minute if you experience significant discomfort.

³However, do not reduce the time to less than one minute.

6. Begin each session by repeating today’s idea. Then close your eyes and review the unresolved situations whose outcomes concern you.

²This concern may take the form of depression, anxiety, anger, a sense of pressure, fear, apprehension, or worry.

³Any problem that recurs frequently in your mind throughout the day is a suitable subject for the practice.

⁴You will not be able to address many in each period, since you should spend more time than usual on each one.

7. Today’s idea should be applied as follows:

²First, name the situation:

³I am concerned about ____.

⁴Then go over every possible outcome that has caused you anxiety, naming each one specifically by saying:

⁵I am afraid that ____ will happen.

8. If you do the exercises correctly, you should identify five or six disturbing possibilities for each problem, or even more.

²It is far more effective to work thoroughly with a few cases than to skim lightly over many.

³As the number of anticipated outcomes increases, you may find some of them becoming less acceptable to you—especially those that come to mind near the end.

⁴Nevertheless, try to treat them all equally, as much as you can.

9. After naming each feared outcome, say to yourself:

²That thought is an attack on myself.

³Conclude each practice period by repeating today’s idea once more.

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^I We always relate to everything from the way we see ourselves. We treat things, others, and God in the same way we treat ourselves, and since we do not truly love ourselves, our relationships with the world and with God are loveless. We inevitably project the degree of love—or its absence—that we feel for ourselves onto everything we perceive or conceive, for perceiving and conceiving are essentially the same. Thus, when you attack, you implicitly acknowledge that if such an attack can harm you, it can also harm others. That is why every attack is an admission of vulnerability: if you attempt to destroy, it is because you believe you too can be destroyed.

^II Anger and fear are two sides of the same coin. Fear is the side you experience when you attack yourself, and anger is the side you show when you project your attack outward. Yet both are the same thing: absence of love. But can an absence truly exist when what is lacking is something that does not exist, by definition? That is why this Course affirms that fear is an illusion—a perception of something that is not there—since what God has not created cannot exist. Still, it is perfectly possible to believe in it and, in doing so, you make it real for yourself.

If you are afraid, you will attack, and if you attack, you will be afraid. It is an inevitable cycle. You will feel fear because you will believe you are in danger, that you can be harmed, that you are vulnerable to the attack of those you have attacked. You will feel small, weak, and you will lose your peace of mind. Then you will seek to protect yourself, perceiving yourself surrounded by threats and feeling the need to build defenses against your enemies. This happens both individually and collectively. The countries with the most powerful armies are, paradoxically, those whose citizens are most fearful, for they live under a constant sense of threat. Where you see many flags, you will find much fear.

This is yet another example of how God’s law is fulfilled: “You will receive what you give.” And you, who are everything, how could you give anything you do not want for yourself if you know it will return to you?

Recognize that every condemning judgment, even the slightest, is an attack. You may think you cannot avoid judging or condemning, that many of your judgments are unconscious and you cannot even detect them. Do not worry about this; there is a very simple mechanism for knowing if you are attacking someone, something, or even life itself: whenever you feel bad, even the slightest discomfort, you are judging and condemning—that is, attacking. You are not lacking tools to detect when you are misusing your mind; you only need to use them.

The opposite is also true: those who are not afraid do not attack. Gentleness is born of an awareness of invulnerability that can only exist in the absence of fear.

Remember: whenever something displeases or disturbs you, even slightly, say to yourself: “There must be a better way of seeing this, and I am willing to find it.” Be constant and unyielding in this principle. Do not tolerate even the slightest unease. You are the host of God. Keep your house clean.

^III First you feel bad, and then you attack. But in reality, the correct order is this: first you attack yourself, which is why you feel bad, and then you attack.

The images you hold of yourself are neither false nor true; they are all false, because you are not an image. You are the Son of God, who conceives false images of himself and of everything he perceives. Moreover, it is important that you understand that your attack thoughts do not affect you at all; they only affect that image you have of yourself, but not your true reality.

In this way, you rule over a small mental kingdom where countless dramatic stories take place—stories you tell yourself, stories in which the characters you have created suffer and struggle, including that “I” you think you are. The goal of this Course is to train your mind to learn to tell yourself a more benevolent story, until the time comes when you cease to believe in any kind of story, and then you awaken.

^IV Nothing, except your own thoughts, can affect you, because you relate only to your own thoughts and to nothing else. You know nothing other than your own thoughts.

What happens is that many of your thoughts you call “things of the world,” though they are nothing but your own ideas, to which you have added the belief that they are something external to you, physical and real. This belief, in turn, is nothing but another thought. That is, to a thought about something you wish to relate to, you attribute the notion of being something outside yourself.

When you regard that idea as accessible, you place it in space; and when you regard it as inaccessible, you place it in an imaginary time: the past or the future. The dimensions of space and time are ways of thinking in terms of separation.