Category: Libro de Ejercicios

I do not know what anything is for.

1. The purpose of something is its meaning.^I

²Today’s idea explains why nothing you see has meaning.^II

³You do not know what it is for.

⁴Therefore, it has no meaning for you.

⁵Everything exists for your own benefit.^III

⁶That is what it is for.

⁷That is its purpose.

⁸That is its meaning.

⁹When you recognize this, your goals become unified.

¹⁰When you recognize this, what you see becomes meaningful.

2. You perceive the world and everything in it as meaningful according to the goals of the ego.^IV

²These goals have nothing to do with what is truly in your best interest, because you are not the ego.^V

³This mistaken identification prevents you from understanding the purpose of anything.

⁴As a result, you cannot help but misuse everything you see.

⁵Once you accept this, you will be willing to withdraw the goals you have assigned to the world, rather than to reinforce them.

3. Another way to describe the goals you now value is to say that all of them are related to your “personal” interests.

²But since you have no personal interests in truth, your goals are not truly related to anything.^VI

³Therefore, in valuing them, you have no goals at all.

⁴And that is why you do not know what anything is for.

4. Before today’s exercises can make any sense to you, you must be willing to reflect on the following:

²At the more superficial levels, you do recognize purpose.

³However, real purpose cannot be understood at those levels.

⁴For example, you know that the purpose of a telephone is to speak to someone who is not physically present.

⁵What you do not understand is why you want to reach that person.

⁶And that is precisely what determines whether your communication with them is meaningful or not.

5. It is essential to your learning that you be willing to let go of the goals you have set for everything.^VII

²Recognizing that they are meaningless, rather than judging them as “good” or “bad,” is the only way to accomplish this.

³Today’s idea is a step in that direction.

6. Six practice periods are required today, each lasting two minutes.

²Begin each session by repeating today’s idea slowly. Then look around you, allowing your gaze to rest on whatever catches your attention—near or far, “important” or “unimportant,” “human” or “non-human.”

³As you observe each object you select, say, for example:

⁴I do not know what this chair is for.

⁵I do not know what this pencil is for.

⁶I do not know what this hand is for.

⁷Say this calmly, without shifting your gaze until you have completed the sentence.

⁸Then move on to the next object, applying today’s idea in the same way.

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^I Put another way: the meaning of a thing lies in its function, in its purpose. And since the meaning of a thing defines its identity, then a thing’s identity is what it is for.

If my identity in this world is my function, a fundamental question arises: what is my function in this world? This question is crucial, because in answering it I will discover who I truly am. Jesus teaches us that the function God has assigned us is to be happy and to make others happy. We can therefore deduce that our identity is happiness; that is what we truly are: happiness, the Love of God.

Here, in this world, everyone seeks happiness, and the reason for this is very simple: what they are really seeking is their true identity, that which they are in essence—the remembrance of the Love of God they have forgotten by becoming distracted with illusory things.

^II “Nothing I see means anything.” (W-1)

^III You perceive only illusions. To perceive is to imagine, to conceive illusions, to project what you wish to see. Everything you perceive is the result of what you have projected, and you have projected it because you want it. That is why you relate to everything you perceive in terms of utility.

The meaning everything has for you is determined by the reason—or purpose—for which you conceived it and brought it into your perception.

^IV The ego relates to everything from lack, and by identifying with it, you too relate to what you perceive from need or even rapacity. Thus you seek in things, people, or circumstances what you believe you lack. In this way, instead of celebrating life, you consume it—you devour it.

^V This is the second time the concept of the ego appears in the Workbook. The first was in Lesson 13, where the challenge between the ego and God regarding what meaning should be assigned to perception was addressed. In this instance, the premise is that the ego has already appropriated all the meanings of the world. The task of this Course is to undo that appropriation and restore true meaning.

^VI You have no personal interests because, in truth, you are not a “person”; you are the Son of God.

^VII This is an important statement; do not overlook it. Reflect on what it implies and what it entails. Do not take it lightly, for it is asking you—no more and no less—to relinquish all the meanings you have attributed to the world in order to learn to see a new world, a different world. Be aware that this request is enormous, but so is what is offered to you in exchange. Consider that this request is not only logical but necessary. If the aim of this Course is to reverse your way of thinking, you must first undo the former way. For this reason, it is crucial to your learning that you be willing to relinquish the goals—the functions, the meanings—you have set for everything you behold.

I do not perceive my own best interests.

1. You are never aware, in any situation, of what outcome would truly make you happy.^I

²Therefore, you have no guide for proper action, nor any way of judging the result correctly.

³Your behavior is determined by your perception of the situation, and that perception is wrong.

⁴That is why you will inevitably fail to do what is in your best interest.

⁵Yet that should be your only goal in any situation that is truly perceived.

⁶But if you do not perceive it correctly, you will not be able to recognize what is in your best interest.

2. If you understood that you do not perceive what is in your best interest, it would become possible to be taught.

²But as long as you are convinced that you already know, you cannot learn.

³Today’s idea is a first step in opening your mind so that learning can begin.^II

3. Today’s exercises require far more honesty than you are accustomed to using.

²In each of the five sessions you are asked to do today, it will be more helpful to examine a few situations honestly and in depth than to skim lightly over many.

³Spend about two minutes on each mind-searching session.

4. Begin each session by repeating today’s idea. Then, with eyes closed, search your mind for unresolved situations that are currently troubling you.

²Try to uncover what outcome you desire in each of them.

³You will quickly realize that you have many goals in mind related to the desired outcome, and that these goals exist on different levels and often conflict with one another.

5. Name each situation that arises in your mind, and then list as honestly as you can all the goals you would like to achieve in connection with it.

²Your phrasing might be something like:

³In regard to ___, I would like ___ to happen, and ___, and ___, and…

⁴Continue in this format, trying to include everything you honestly desire, even if some of the goals do not seem directly related to the situation or appear to be inherently part of it.

6. If you do the exercises correctly, you will recognize that you are making a large number of demands on the situation that have nothing to do with it.

²You will also see that many of your goals are contradictory, that you do not have a unified outcome in mind, and that you will surely fail to achieve some of your goals, no matter how the situation turns out.

³After reviewing the list of goals you have identified for each situation, say silently to yourself:

⁴I do not perceive what is in my best interest in this situation.^III

⁵Then move on to the next.

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^I The mind, created by the Good—God—naturally tends toward the good and constantly seeks it; in essence, the mind seeks itself. Yet the personal mind, which is the effect of the ego within the holy Mind of the Son of God, becomes caught up in arrogance and masochism. For this reason, it does not truly know what is in its best interest—though it thinks it does, which is arrogance—and furthermore, it gives itself what causes it suffering—masochism.

^II It does not take much honesty to recognize that the human being suffers from an essential cognitive bias, so widespread that it is difficult to identify. A cognitive bias is a mistaken way of using the mind, and this is perhaps the most pervasive. We might call it “the cognitive bias of double ignorance”: not knowing, and not knowing that you do not know—that is, arrogance.

Recognition of this fact is the highest level the ego can reach and marks the beginning of true learning. One who does not know that he does not know attributes to himself knowledge he does not possess, and that arrogance is the fundamental cause of human suffering.

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” were Jesus’ penultimate words. Those who martyred Him believed they knew what they were doing, but they were merely victims of this devastating bias. Centuries earlier, Socrates too was condemned to death for declaring that the only thing he knew for certain was that he knew nothing, while his accusers were worse off still, for they were not even aware of their ignorance. Arrogance does not tolerate having its deficiencies exposed.

This Course will help you heal that cognitive bias which afflicts humanity. However, to achieve this, it is essential that you cultivate the discernment, honesty, and humility necessary to recognize that you do not know what is in your best interest.

This is not difficult at all; it is enough to practice today’s exercises correctly so that you become aware of this truth, and thus you will be ready for true learning to begin.

To learn is to change the mind, but true change cannot be brought about by the individual mind identified with the ego, which is precisely how the mind operates in all who refer to themselves as “I”—that is, in everyone. For this reason, the engine of true change is transpersonal, something that acts from beyond the person.

This Lesson, like none other in the first part of this Workbook, does not aim to change anything. Its purpose is to undo the old way of thinking. Today you will try to become fully aware that, in fact, you do not know what is in your best interest. That alone is enough.

^III Each time we perceive painfully, we fall into the self-deception brought about by our own arrogance. Few traits define the “human” being more clearly than the combination of arrogance and masochism. What is the human being but one who judges and condemns, believing he knows something he truly does not, and who moreover tends to harm himself, refusing to perceive what is in his best interest and rejecting what could make him happy?

Arrogance, derived from the Latin ad-rogare—to attribute to oneself qualities one does not possess—is a form of falsehood which, like all lies, arises from fear. In this case, from the fear of truth, from the fear of facing one’s own ignorance. It is overcome through honesty, humility, and rationality.

Masochism, that tendency to harm oneself, has its origin in a dark feeling of guilt, provoked by the subconscious recognition of the “sin” of having confined an infinite mind within the limits of a false individual identity. This masochism is healed through forgiveness, beginning with forgiving yourself, which naturally leads to forgiving others.

Both arrogance and masochism disappear when the sense of personal importance is abandoned, when you stop believing that the image you have of yourself is relevant. Think about this: what credibility can an idea so volatile and changeable have? Do you not realize that this need to feel important is only a reaction to the falseness of that illusory identity?

To feel important is nothing but the mind’s attempt to reinforce one lie with more lies. That illusory character you think you are is of no importance; it is nothing but a delirium fabricated by your mind.

For the Love of God, you are His Son! Do not confine your greatness within denigrating ideas.

I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts.

1. Today’s idea offers the only way out of fear that will ever succeed.

²Nothing else will work; everything else is meaningless.

³But this cannot fail.

⁴Every thought you hold gives rise to some segment of the world you see.

⁵That is why we must work with your thoughts if your perception of the world is to be changed.

2. If the cause of the world you see is your attack thoughts, then you must learn that you do not want those thoughts.

²There is no point in lamenting the world.

³There is no point in trying to change it.

⁴The world cannot change because it is merely an effect.

⁵But what does make sense is to change your thoughts about the world.

⁶By doing this, you are changing the cause.

⁷And then the effect will change automatically.^I

3. The world you see is a vengeful world, and everything in it is a symbol of vengeance.

²Every one of your perceptions of “external reality” is a pictorial representation of your own attack thoughts.

³One might well ask if this can truly be called seeing.

⁴Is not “fantasy” a more appropriate word for this process, and “hallucination” a more fitting term for its result? ^II

4. You see the world you made, but you do not see yourself as the maker of the images.^III

²You cannot be saved from the world, but you can escape from its cause.^IV

³This is what salvation means, for where is the world you see once its cause is gone?

⁴True Vision already holds in place what you will see instead of what you see now.

⁵Gentleness can light up your images and so transform them that you will love them, even though they were made from hate.

⁶For that transformation is not yours alone to make.^V

5. Today’s idea introduces the notion that you are not trapped in the world you see, because its cause can be changed.^VI

²This change requires, first, that you identify the cause, and then, that you let it go so it can be replaced.

³The first two steps in this process require your cooperation.

⁴The final one does not.^VII

⁵For the images have already been replaced.

⁶You need only take the first two steps to be shown that this is so.^VIII

6. Today’s idea requires five practice periods, as well as frequent application throughout the day as needed.

²Repeat the idea slowly and silently as you look around; then close your eyes and spend about a minute searching your mind for as many attack thoughts as you can find.

³As each one crosses your mind, say:

⁴I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts about ____.

⁵Hold each thought in awareness as you say this, then let it go and move on to the next.

7. In your practice periods, be sure to include both the thoughts in which you attack and those in which you are attacked.

²The effects of both are exactly the same, because they are exactly the same.

³You do not yet recognize this, and you are only asked, for now, to treat them as the same in today’s practice.

⁴We are still in the stage of identifying the cause of the world you see.

⁵When you finally learn that thoughts of attacking and of being attacked are not different, you will be ready to let the cause go.

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^I This paragraph effectively summarizes the strategy of this Course for reversing your thought system:

First, you become aware that the world is an illusion.

Then, you recognize that the world you behold is a creation of your mind, and you take responsibility for it.

Finally, you relinquish seeing it that way by deciding to change its cause: your attack thoughts.

Then the change occurs. But it is no longer due to anything you do; it is something that is given to you. Your contribution to this process ends with the expression of your firm willingness to see a different world. The rest happens of itself.

^II The world is not a “reality” in itself, but the projection of your own thoughts represented in the form of images. All the work you do with this Course consists of becoming aware of this truth and purifying your thoughts, removing from them every component of attack, so as to align them with the truth.

This change is reflected on the perceptual level as the vision of the “real world,” where benevolent thoughts give rise to a happy dream.

^III “My thoughts are images I have made” (W-15). This is because you call “world” your thoughts about a world that, in fact, does not exist.

^IV You can free yourself from the world of suffering you behold if you relinquish your attack thoughts, since they are the cause of the world you perceive.

^V That is the function of the Holy Spirit; your only contribution to that transformation is to invite Him to perform His work… in your mind.

^VI You are not trapped in the world you see, but in the one you interpret. Yet since that interpretation depends solely on you, you can change it at will.

^VII These three steps are: First, becoming aware of your attack thoughts. Then, forgiving them, which means relinquishing them. Finally, allowing the Holy Spirit to show you that illusion that provoked your fear and anger, now reinterpreted in benevolent terms.

^VIII These last lines begin to introduce a powerful idea that, in time, will acquire crucial importance: the notion that you are not the author of your own salvation; it is something accomplished for you.

This idea is fundamental because you—as ego—are incapable of truly changing by yourself, though you probably believe you can. That is why it could be said that this is a Course in not-doing. You will never be the agent of your salvation, since your individual mind is precisely the cause of the apparent separation.

To go deeper into this concept, you may review the first Section of Chapter 30: Rules for Decision.

What I see is a form of vengeance.

1. Today’s idea accurately describes the way anyone who harbors attack thoughts in their mind must see the world.

²Having projected their anger onto the world, they see vengeance about to fall upon them.

³Thus, they view their own attack as an act of self-defense.^I

⁴This becomes a vicious, escalating cycle until they are willing to change the way they see.

⁵Otherwise, thoughts of attack and counterattack will pursue them and fill their entire world.

⁶What peace of mind could they possibly have, then?

2. This wild fantasy is what you want to escape.

²Is it not good news to hear that it is not real? ^II

³Is it not joyful to discover that you can escape from this fantasy?

⁴It was you who made what you now wish to destroy; you made all that you hate and want to attack and kill.

⁵But all of what you fear does not exist.

3. Look at the world around you today at least five times, for no less than one full minute each time.

²As your eyes move slowly from one object to another, from one body to another, say silently to yourself:

³I see only the perishable.

⁴I see nothing that will last.

⁵What I see is not real.^III

⁶What I see is a form of vengeance.

⁷At the end of each practice period, ask yourself:

⁸Is this the world I really want to see?  ^IV

⁹The answer is obvious.

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^I At first glance, it may be difficult to accept that the world you perceive is “a form of vengeance.” To better understand this Lesson, it is useful to review Section V of Chapter 31, The Self-Concept, where it is explained that the world you behold is nothing but the reflection of the guilt that lies hidden in the shadowed side of the self-concept you hold.

This hidden side, which the ego strives to keep secret, is laden with fears, judgments, resentments, and deep self-condemnation. By projecting these thoughts outward, you perceive a threatening world that seems to attack you. Remember that to perceive is to project, and thus the world will always confirm and justify your fears and suspicions. This endless cycle of attack and defense aims to perpetuate the false identity the ego has fabricated and you have accepted.

Now you are learning that this perception is nothing but an illusion. By opening to the Holy Spirit’s correction, you can look beyond this mask, release the unfounded guilt, and recognize your true innocence as the Son of God, beloved and at peace.

Seeing yourself from this new, more benevolent perspective, you will begin to project and behold a forgiven, gentle world. This shift in perception is accomplished through your will. The key question you must ask yourself is: What world do I want to see?

^II Remember that the word gospel in Greek means “happy news” or “good news.” And that is the true Gospel of Jesus: “The world is not real, and you are the innocent Son of God.” This is a notion every student of this Course must never forget. The world itself does not matter at all, because it is nothing. Be aware that you will always end up “losing” all the things of the world. Most of them will slip from your hands during your apparent stay here, and when you finally leave your body, every last trace of what you called “mine” will vanish. Do you think your Father would allow you to lose anything real that He has given you? And you can be certain that what He has not given you is not real and does not exist.

The human impulse, hijacked by illusion, tends to “improve” a world that always disappoints its expectations. The ego judges and condemns the world, thinking it could do better. “What it wants now is a better illusion” (P-3.In.2:8). But there are no better or worse illusions; they are all falsehoods. That is what the world is: the fictitious manifestation of the idea of separation made form to deceive you. Illusions are not improved; they are forgiven and forgotten. In the blessed present you cannot attend to illusions and at the same time look toward the light. You will have to choose between the two; there is no other alternative. Look at Jesus: when He was in this world, He never sought to improve it. He was a sublime teacher and a healer of the mind who preached the transcendence of the world, not its “betterment.” He did not try to “fix” the illusion, but to show its irrelevance; that is why He is the teacher of forgiveness. “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my people would have fought to prevent me from being handed over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here” (John 18).

^III This line appears in Helen’s Notes, but crossed out. The Urtext does not include it.

^IV  Once you are settled in the fictitious identity the ego proposes, it becomes extremely difficult not to succumb to the temptation of believing you are a victim of the world you behold, and not its maker. Keep in mind that the phenomenon of projection implicit in perception entails the will not to take responsibility for what is projected on the part of the one projecting, because you project in order to place outside yourself what you conceive. This means you refuse to recognize that, if you are seeing something, you are seeing it because that is precisely what you want to see; you see what you want to see.

But do not let this recognition lead you into guilt and depression. On the contrary, notice the light this discovery holds when interpreted correctly, for it also means that your mind is so powerful that it can create any world it chooses. Your mind is free, it is powerful, and it responds faithfully to the dictates of your will.

So do not waste time judging and condemning a world of your own making. Instead, look within with clear eyes and identify your true will, which is the same as your Father’s.

This Course has been described in many ways: as a treatise on love, forgiveness, the working of miracles, or a program of mind training. Yet as you go deeper into it, you will discover that, at its core, it is a Course on will—a manual designed to teach you to change your wanting so as to align it with your true identity.

I am determined to see things differently.^I

1. Today’s idea is, of course, a continuation and extension of the previous one.

²This time, however, in addition to applying the idea to specific situations as they arise, designated periods of mind searching are also required.

³You are asked to undertake five practice periods today, each lasting a full minute.

2. Begin each practice by repeating the idea silently.

²Then close your eyes and search your mind carefully for past, present, or anticipated situations that arouse anger in you.

³This anger may take the form of any kind of reaction, from mild irritation to intense rage.

⁴The intensity of the emotion you feel does not matter.

⁵You will increasingly recognize that a slight twinge of annoyance is nothing but a thin veil drawn over seething fury.

3. Therefore, try not to let these “insignificant” thoughts of anger escape you during the practice periods. ²Remember that you do not really recognize what arouses anger in you, and nothing you believe in this regard means anything.^II

³You will probably be tempted to focus on certain situations more than others, under the mistaken belief that they are more “obvious.”

⁴This is not so.

⁵This merely proves that you believe some forms of attack are more justified than others.

4. As you search your mind for all the ways in which attack thoughts present themselves, consider each one and say to yourself:

²I am determined to see ____ [name of person] differently.

³I am determined to see ____ [specify the situation] differently.

5. Try to be as specific as possible.

²You may, for example, focus your anger on a particular attribute of a certain person, believing your anger is limited to that aspect.

³If your perception of that person is distorted in this way, say:

⁴I am determined to see ____ [specify the disliked attribute] in ____ [name of person] differently.^III

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^I Although all the Lessons in this Workbook are important and deserve absolute attention, this one is fundamental, and it will become a recurring declaration with which you will face, throughout your life, every circumstance that disturbs you. You will repeat it unceasingly, for it is the necessary invocation of the Holy Spirit to return to sanity. It is what will allow you to escape anger, fear, and depression.

In fact, this phrase from Bill to Helen was what gave rise to the beginning of the dictation of this Course. She answered that she was willing to help him and… shortly thereafter, Helen heard in her mind: “This is a Course in miracles, please take notes.”

Realize that, for this formula to work, it is essential that you “wholeheartedly” want to see whatever disturbs you in a different way. Your will is the only factor that governs your perception; therefore, you will see what you truly want to see. Yet it is certain that, in that moment of anger or distress, you are unable to conceive what you really want to come of that situation. Do not worry, this is not necessary at all, for that is precisely the function of the Holy Spirit. All you need to do is sincerely ask Him to show you a better way to interpret what is before you, and then wait, listen, and open your eyes wide to what will be shown to you.

Practice today’s idea exactly as instructed and with all your heart, whenever something displeases you, frightens you, or makes you angry, however slightly. But since you are only beginning to learn to listen, it may be difficult for you to quiet your mind enough to hear the Holy Spirit.

To hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit within you, keep in mind the following:

The Holy Spirit ALWAYS answers your call.

He does not speak with words, but with pure content; you are the one who translates that content into words.

The Holy Spirit is the Voice of God within the illusion; therefore, the content of that communication is always the resolution of a perceived conflict. The conflict itself is imaginary, and its resolution is also imaginary; it is but a reflection of God’s Love in your dream of death.

The only requirements to hear His Voice are:

• Willingness to hear it.

• Trust that you will hear it.

• Silence to listen to His Word.

Nothing more than that, but nothing less than that either.

However, if it is still difficult for you to hear Him, you have a simpler and more direct resource to dispel that illusion: invoke God. Call upon your Father. Turn your mind to Him. And completely forget the world as you do so. Let nothing matter to you in that moment, for that is a holy time that Eternity Itself and the angels protect.

This is a “shortcut” to leap directly from illusion to holiness that will never fail you. It is a state you will learn to call upon more and more frequently, until the moment comes when it never leaves you.

That direct invocation of God returns you to your natural state of holiness. But now, in this Lesson, you must learn from the Holy Spirit a mastery that will prove essential for you to fulfill your role as savior of the world. So, when something disturbs you, say silently to yourself: “I want to see this differently; show me how.” And listen to His answer.

^II W-5: “I am never upset for the reason I think” and W-10: “My thoughts do not mean anything.”

^III  Of the infinite possibilities for interpreting what is perceived, which in itself means nothing, your ego-mind interprets every situation from a specific viewpoint that reflects the idea you have of yourself—your ego. When you become receptive to seeing things differently, you give up remaining anchored in that fixed position and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to see them from another perspective, which is precisely the one that best aligns with God’s plan for salvation.

What you now see is as illusory as what you saw before, but it will heal your dream of separation by removing its component of anger and fear. This relinquishment of deciding for yourself—for your ego—what is best for you requires no effort on your part, but it does, of course, require great humility, a good measure of trust, and a touch of wisdom.

I am determined to see.

1. Until now, we have taken a rather casual approach to our practice.

²No attempt has been made to set a schedule for carrying them out, nor has any minimum effort been required, and you have not even been asked to cooperate or take an active interest.

³This casual approach has been intentional and very carefully planned.

⁴We have not lost sight of the crucial importance of reversing your way of thinking.

⁵The salvation of the world depends on it.

⁶But you will not see if you feel coerced, or driven by resentment or resistance.

2. This is our first attempt to introduce some structure to the way you practice.

²Do not mistake it for an attempt to exert force or pressure.

³You do want salvation.

⁴You do want to be happy.

⁵You do want Peace.

⁶You do not enjoy any of this now because your mind is completely undisciplined, and you cannot yet distinguish between joy and sorrow, between pleasure and pain, or between love and fear.^I

⁷You are now learning to tell them apart.

⁸And great indeed will be your reward.^II

3. Your decision to see is all that Vision requires.

²And what you want is given you.

³Do not mistake the small effort that is asked of you for a sign that our goal is of little worth.

⁴Can the salvation of the world be a trivial purpose?

⁵And do you believe the world can be saved if you are not? ⁶God has one Son, and he is the Resurrection and the Life.^III

⁷His Will is done, for all power in Heaven and on earth has been given him.^IV

⁸It is your determination to see that grants you Vision.

4. Today’s exercises consist of reminding yourself throughout the day that you want to see.

²Today’s idea also implicitly acknowledges that you do not see now.

³Therefore, each time you repeat the idea, you are stating your willingness to change your current state for one that is better—one that you truly want.

5. Repeat today’s idea slowly and with confidence at least twice an hour, aiming to do so every half hour.

²Do not be disturbed if you forget, but make a genuine effort to remember.^V

³In addition, repeat the idea whenever any situation, person, or event disturbs you.

⁴You can see all of it differently, and you will.

⁵For you will see what you desire to see.

⁶Such is the true working of the law of cause and effect in this world.^VI

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^I A mind that has not been trained—and that, moreover, is confused because it has listened to the ego’s voice and perceives everything upside down—cannot accomplish anything and lives in a chaotic and dangerous universe. Yet this need not be so.

You are truly fortunate. This Course will train your mind in the truth, and if you apply yourself to it with perseverance and seriousness, you will soon experience the effects of that training. Here you will learn who you are and what your role in this world is. Your task is quite simple, and extraordinarily benevolent and beneficial, both for you and for all those around you.

You may not be very convinced yet, but keep in mind that your eyes are still closed, for you are sunk in a deep sleep. You are only beginning to open them slightly, and it is natural that at first the light dazzles and unsettles you. Do not be afraid; that will change very soon. You will soon begin to experience the effects of this new learning, and you will be surprised—and perhaps even shocked—by the immense delirium of what you called “my life.”

The discipline this training requires has nothing heroic about it: it is simply the honesty of admitting “right now I do not see” and returning—again and again—to the desire to see. To persevere is not to force yourself, but to sustain a gentle, steady decision, like someone who opens a window each morning even if the sky is overcast. Humility is understanding that your current perception is not enough to make you happy, and that Vision—the Vision of the mind at peace—is essential if you desire true and lasting joy. As long as you keep trying to fix the world with the same eyes that made it, you will go on confusing comfort with anesthesia, and relief with distraction.

The practice introduces a rhythm for your benefit, not to coerce you. Rhythm soothes the mind, as waves polish a rock. Each time you remember your decision, you are not “doing something else”; you are releasing a layer of interpretation that weighed upon you. If it helps, you may accompany the idea with a minimal gesture—a deeper breath, a brief silence—that marks the shift from the old habit of seeing against yourself to the availability to see in favor of your peace. Do not look for spectacular results: true correction is discreet and, precisely for that reason, powerful.

Recognizing “right now I do not see” prevents the trap of negotiating with fear. If you do not see, how can you rightly judge what is in your best interest? The discipline of this lesson saves you from that futile litigation: it reminds you that you do not need to be right, but to be at peace. And to be at peace requires learning to see without separating, without prefixed roles, without the haste to label. Perseverance here is the silent keeping of your desire: keeping it alight even when you forget, rekindling it when it seems to go out, and allowing its light to do what you do not know how to do. If you notice resistance, do not make it the protagonist. Acknowledge it kindly and continue. Resistance is only the echo of a habit that is wearing out. Do not fight it; move through its noise remembering that you want to see because you want to be happy, and that the happiness you seek does not depend on partial successes in the world, but on a Vision that does not fluctuate with changes. Discipline sustains that Vision until, effortlessly, it becomes your natural way of looking. Then you will understand that you never lacked the light; you were only training your eyes to receive it.

^II Matthew 5:12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

^III John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live.”

^IV Matthew 6:10 “Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”
Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying: ‘All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me.’” God’s Will is always accomplished, and yours, as His Son, is also. This takes place both in the realm of reality and in that of illusion. Your will is always accomplished; that is why you perceive what you want to perceive. The question here is: what is it that you want, Son of God?

^V If you are doing the Lessons of this Workbook, try to do them well: exactly as instructed. You may forget your practice many times, but be very honest with yourself and acknowledge that this is always due to a conflict of priorities.

Perhaps, at a certain level of your mind, you recognize that saving yourself from a sick way of thinking is fundamental. Yet realize that, at another level—which is just as much the result of your will as the first—you place trifles before that high purpose. Become aware of this and correct it.

Part of your training is to teach you what is important and what is not. The sooner you recognize this, the better.

^VI This important assertion arises from the fact that, as we have seen in previous Lessons, perception is an effect whose cause is the will. First the idea of something you want is conceived, and then that is projected and seen outside.

“Thought always precedes vision, despite the temptation to believe that it is the other way around” (W-17.1:3). That is why you see what you want to see.

And then this Course tells you to forgive the world, to forgive everything you behold, to forgive “what you want to see.”

Forgive your fantasies, born of your fears and desires, which are the same. And all of that is precisely what you are not, nor truly want. Forgive it, let it go, and you will find yourself face to face with the truth; you will be left with nothing but the Love of God, which is what you are.

I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts.

1. Today’s idea is, of course, the reason why the way you see does not affect you alone.^I

²You will notice at times that the ideas presented to you concerning what you think precede those related to what you perceive, while at other times the order is reversed.^II

³This is because the order does not really matter. ⁴Thinking, and its results, are truly simultaneous processes, for cause and effect are never separate.^III

2. Today we again emphasize the fact that minds are joined.

²This is an idea that is rarely welcomed at first, as it seems to carry with it enormous responsibility, and may even be seen as a kind of “invasion of privacy.”

³However, it is a fact that there are no private thoughts.

⁴Despite your initial resistance to this idea, you will come to understand that it must be true if salvation is to be possible.

⁵And salvation must be possible, because it is the Will of God.

3. The one-minute mind searching required for today’s exercises should be done with eyes closed.

²Begin by repeating the idea, and then carefully search your mind for the thoughts it contains at that moment.

4. As you consider each one, identify it first by the person or theme it centers on, and holding it in your mind, say:

²I am not alone in experiencing the effects of this thought about ____.

5. By now, you should be fairly accustomed to the requirement of selecting the subjects for the practice as randomly as possible, and this will no longer be repeated each day, though it will be included from time to time as a reminder.

²Nevertheless, do not forget that it remains essential to choose the subjects for each practice period in a completely random way.

³This absence of degrees of importance will eventually help you recognize that there are no degrees of difficulty in miracles either.^IV

6. In addition to applying today’s idea “as needed,” at least three practice sessions are required, shortening the time if necessary.^V

²Do not attempt more than four.

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^I In the preceding Lesson it is stated that others are affected by my manner of seeing; that is, by how I see. Today’s idea is more specific: it now maintains that what affects others are my thoughts—that is, my judgments about what I see. This provides an additional reason to assume responsibility for our judgments, since they not only influence our emotional state and, therefore, our behavior, but also the emotional states and behavior of others. This is evident, for example, in the effect of leadership exercised by politicians, teachers, parents, and even in the salvific action of the Teachers of God that this Course advocates.

As presented here, this idea may seem surprising, but in fact it is something you recognize within and that underlies social organization. The world, indeed, is an agreement among particular minds and the basis of all human communication: the sharing of meanings. Moreover, this communication is not limited to what is perceived through the commonly admitted senses. “…each individual has many capacities of which they are unaware. As their awareness expands, they can develop faculties that seem quite surprising to them” (M-26.1:3-4). Both the knowing of what is not explicit and healing through the power of thought are natural aspects of the shared mind, since ultimately everything is contained within the same mind.

^II Notice how you are being taught that cause and effect are not separate by working with pairs of equivalent and alternating ideas concerning what you perceive and what you think:

PERCEPTION (W-1: “Nothing I see means anything”) ↔ THOUGHT (W-3: “I do not understand anything I see” and W-4: “These thoughts do not mean anything”).

THOUGHT (W-5: “I am never upset for the reason I think”) ↔ PERCEPTION (W-6: “I am upset because I see something that is not there”).

Other examples:

PERCEPTION (W-7) ↔ THOUGHT (W-8)

THOUGHT (W-10) ↔ PERCEPTION (W-11)

THOUGHT (W-16) ↔ PERCEPTION (W-17)

PERCEPTION (W-18) ↔ THOUGHT (W-19)

^III What you see, how you see what you see, and why you see what you see are all the same. You see what you want to see. Perception is a volitional act; it is the result of your will to see in that way. If you see a fragmented world, made up of things separate from one another, it is because you have accepted as true the idea that you yourself are separate, and thus you perceive everything according to what you believe you are.

Cause and effect are not separate; they occur simultaneously. How, then, can it be surprising to you to see such a world?

^IV “The first thing to remember about miracles is that there is no order of difficulty among them. One is not more difficult or greater than another. They are all the same” (T-1.1).

This “indifference” in considering the subjects you use in your practices has a profound ontological justification: if the world is an illusion, any illusion is equal to any other with respect to reality, and therefore: “What is real is not in danger, and what is in danger is not real…” (T-In.3:2–3).

You have constructed a world by dismembering reality and assigning to those pieces different attributes and functions that affect you differently and to varying degrees. For you, there is an enormous difference between a flower and the sick body of a loved one; yet both perceptions are still stories with which your mind engages: illusions conceived by your mind, projected into an imaginary spatial realm and regarded as real within a temporal realm—fleeting and equally illusory. It is imperative that you learn to see as equal what is equal and to distinguish reality from illusion.

^V In fact, today’s exercise, more than a practice, ought to be a permanent attitude. Consider the following: if Jesus is right and my thoughts inevitably affect others, I had better watch my mind with extraordinary care and not allow myself to think what I do not wish to share.

A good rule for managing your mind honestly and effectively is to reject any thought you would not like others to know. The advantage of following this selective criterion is that, by placing the censor outside yourself, you become less permissive and less prone to tolerate malicious thoughts, because you already know you are not immune to that social judge. Do not allow your holy mind to harbor anything but the best you are capable of conceiving, for you deserve no less than that.

I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.

1. Today’s idea is another step in learning that the thoughts which give rise to what you see are never neutral or irrelevant.

²It also underscores the idea that minds are joined, which will be emphasized further on.^I

2. Today’s idea does not concern what you see so much as how you see it.^II

²Therefore, today’s exercises highlight this aspect of your perception.

³Three or four practice periods should be done as follows:

3. Choose different objects at random to apply today’s idea, and look at each one long enough to say:

²I am not alone in experiencing the effects of how I see this ____.

³Conclude the practice by repeating this more general statement:

⁴I am not alone in experiencing the effects of how I see.

⁵One minute, or even less, will suffice.

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^I Separation not only shapes what you believe you see, but also conditions the shared “field of interpretation” in which all minds operate. If “minds are joined,” then your way of seeing does not remain confined to your private bubble: it radiates into that common field and, by resonance, invites others to adopt kindred interpretive frameworks. You do not “force” anyone—no one loses their freedom—but you do offer a reading pattern that others may accept or reject. To see is to teach, because all perception communicates the thought system that sustains it.

When you separate, name, and assign functions, you are not merely telling yourself a story: you are proposing it. Your gaze assigns roles (“this is for…,” “you are…”), and those roles tend to be accepted by those who, feeling seen in that way, seek to fit into the script they perceive. That is why your forgiveness is not an irrelevant inner act; it silently rewrites the scripts available to all. Mental union makes your choice of teacher—the ego or the Holy Spirit—have shared effects: if you choose to see with the ego, you reinforce defensive and blaming interpretations; if you choose the Vision of Christ, you expand the availability of innocent meanings. In a united mental field, offering innocence increases the probability that innocence will be seen.

This is where the so-called “miracles” operate: they do not first change forms, but the framework of meaning you offer to the common field. Your decision not to separate—not to fix identities or functions out of fear—reduces interpretive noise and makes it easier for others to access a simpler, truer reading. Giving is receiving because, in union, what you offer as interpretation returns to you as experience.

Practical implications for today’s lesson:

Remember that each time you apply “I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing”, you are acknowledging the teaching character of your perception. Ask yourself: “What am I teaching now with my way of seeing: fear or peace?”

In the presence of a specific person, silently add: “My way of seeing you affects you because our minds are joined. I choose to see you as God created you.” Do not force anything; limit your contribution to withdrawing judgments and offering the availability of innocent meaning.

When you notice yourself assigning a role (“this one is guilty,” “this is dangerous,” “this is worthless”), stop and say: “I am proposing a script to the field we share. I would rather offer one that liberates.” This rectification is enough to clarify the interpretive field.

If conflict arises, do not seek to change another’s behavior first. Change the framework: “I choose the Holy Spirit as my interpreter.” In union, that choice opens an alternative reading for both, where peace becomes coherent.

Thus, the lesson ceases to be an isolated affirmation and becomes a relational practice: your perception is a continual invitation. Each time you choose to see without separating, you lighten the interpretive burden of the world for everyone. That is the real efficacy of your learning: it turns your way of seeing into a shared gift.

^II How do you see the world? What are you really doing when you say you see something?

Pay close attention to what happens when you look at a thing and say you see it. In truth, what you do is separate it from the totality of what you perceive, assign it a specific content, tell yourself a story about what you have separated, give it a proper name, and assign it a particular function. For you, seeing is separating; that is the way you see: by separating.

The idea of separation is omnipresent in your particular universe. It applies not only to everything you see, but also to the idea you have of yourself and of others. That way of seeing affects others, for you have turned them into entities as separate from everything as yourself.

In any case, the central point of today’s idea is that everything you call “the other” or “others” is nothing but “contents of your consciousness,” shaped according to your own will. Perception is a function of the mind that is entirely volitional and imaginary.

Do not be alarmed if you are told that to perceive is to fantasize. On the contrary, rejoice, because that means you are not a “victim” of what you perceive, but the “creator” of your perception. And you must also know that you are free and able to change your entire perceptual process at will; that is the foundation of miracles.

I see no neutral things.

1. This idea is another step in understanding how the relationship between cause and effect truly works.

²You do not see neutral things because you do not have neutral thoughts.^I

³Thought always precedes vision, despite the temptation to believe that it is the other way around.^II

⁴The world does not think this way, but you must learn that this is how you truly think.

⁵Otherwise, perception would be without cause, and itself the cause of reality.^III

⁶Given how variable its nature is, this is impossible.^IV

2. In applying today’s idea, say to yourself with eyes open:

²I do not see neutral things because I do not have neutral thoughts.

³Then look around you, letting your gaze rest on each thing that catches your attention long enough to say:

⁴I do not see a ____ that is neutral because my thoughts about ____ are not neutral.

⁵For example, you might say:

⁶I do not see a wall that is neutral because my thoughts about walls are not neutral.

⁷I do not see a body that is neutral because my thoughts about bodies are not neutral.

3. As always, it is essential not to make distinctions among the things you look at based on their characteristics—whether they are animate or inanimate, pleasant or unpleasant.

²Regardless of what you may believe, you do not see anything that is truly alive and truly joyful.

³This is because you are not yet aware of any thought that is truly true and therefore truly happy.

4. Three or four practice periods are recommended, with no fewer than three being required to gain the maximum benefit, even if you experience discomfort.

²However, if discomfort does arise, the duration of the practice period may be shortened to less than the recommended one minute.

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^I This is the same as saying that you do not see things objectively because your thoughts are not objective. You are not an object; you are a subject; therefore, your thoughts are not objective but subjective, and, consequently, you see in a subjective manner.

Now, pay close attention: if you call what you see an “object” because you believed you were thinking “objectively,” what will you call what you think you see now that you know your thoughts are subjective? Do you realize the absolute connection that exists between you and what you believe you see outside yourself? Do you think there is any chance that the world in which you think you live is not something absolutely subjective?

Remember: your thoughts are decidedly subjective. What you believe you see bears the imprint of your very being so deeply etched into it that it is hard to conclude that the world you perceive is not something “yours.”

“Understand that every mode of perception is subjective; that what is seen or heard, touched or smelled, felt or thought, expected or imagined, is in the mind and not in reality, and you will experience peace and freedom from fear.” Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj

^II Ask yourself: What is there before thought? Certainly, for you the world does not exist before you think of it. Whether the world exists or not independently of what you think is nothing more than another opinion you hold. In this sense, the concepts of “established fact” and “opinion” are indistinguishable.

The objective of this Course is to completely invert the way of thinking, and this is precisely one of the paradigms on which that inversion rests. It is one of this Course’s basic epistemological principles: to perceive is, in fact, to project. The mind first conceives a thought and then “sees” it projected onto an imaginary world outside itself. But, according to this Course’s paradigm, there is no such thing as a “world outside yourself,” but only the belief that this “exists.” There is only mind conceiving complex thoughts composed of multiple overlapping concepts, of which one is not fully aware.

For example, when you see a table, what you perceive is in reality a multiple thought that incorporates countless meanings within itself. To name a few: the physical, aesthetic, and functional characteristics of the idea conceived; the belief that it is “out there” outside you in a realm you call “space”; the perception that it is present now; the idea that “I” am seeing it… All of this gathers into a single concept that, in simplified fashion, you call “the perception of a table.” By altering any of these parameters, the mind interprets differently. Thus, the table in question may be large or small, ugly or beautiful, seen by you now or remembered, etc.

Perception is the effect of mental elaboration, for mind is the only thing that exists. This is why this Course states that the world is an illusion. Later it will be understood that not only is the world an illusion, but so is the idea you have of yourself. This appears in the mind in the same way the idea of a table arises.

Evidently, this notion terrifies the ego and can be—and indeed is—an almost insurmountable barrier for the student of this Course. However, it is crucial to remember that, on the path toward identifying with your true identity as the Son of God, it is necessary to leave behind a series of dearly held falsehoods, what this Course calls “the obstacles to truth.”

In any case, you are only at the very beginning of the Workbook, and for now it is enough to understand that the things you believe you see outside yourself have no meaning other than the meaning you yourself have assigned to them.

^III This line emphasizes that everything we observe is tinged by the way we think, highlighting the cause-and-effect relationship proposed by this teaching: thought (cause) gives rise to perception (effect). From this it follows that perception cannot be neutral, since the mind is always taking sides, whether from the ego or from love. In other words, to believe that the world “out there” dictates our thoughts would imply that perception is the cause of reality. The Course, however, inverts this perspective and asserts that there are no neutral thoughts: what we see is laden with meaning because we have imbued it with the meanings that arise from our own beliefs.

In other words, every time we perceive something, we do so from the inner idea we are accepting at that moment. This mode of reasoning contradicts the world’s logic, which maintains: “I see something and therefore I think X.” The Course proposes the opposite: “I think X, and therefore I see something in this way.” Otherwise, perception would lack a cause and would become the cause of reality, depriving the mind of its true creative power and leading the observer to believe that what is external determines his experience.

Thus, the statement “I see no neutral things” confirms that, in every perceptual experience, the mind always operates as the source of what it sees, and what it sees can only be a reflection of what it truly thinks.

^IV You call seeing what is actually thinking you see. If perception were the process of grasping something that exists outside you, that process would be the cause of your seeing, and you would always “see” the same thing when beholding something. However, you must be aware that your perception is highly variable: it changes over time and differs among different individuals. Even the world’s thought system acknowledges as true the expression “You see what you want to see,” and this applies to both objects and circumstances.

In reality, you are seated before the screen of your consciousness, beholding your own projections. This is an idea that may be very hard for you to accept, but that nevertheless holds the key to your release. Do not obsess over it; instead, learn to forgive what you perceive. In this way, you will first find peace and, with it, the truth that accompanies it.

I have no neutral thoughts.

1. Today’s idea is an initial step in dispelling the belief that your thoughts have no effect.

²Everything you see is the result of your thoughts.^I

³There are no exceptions to this.

⁴Thoughts are not big or small; powerful or weak.

⁵They are simply true or false.^II

⁶Those that are true create in their own likeness.^III

⁷Those that are false do so as well.^IV

2. There is no concept more inherently self-contradictory than that of “idle thoughts.”

²What gives rise to an entire world can hardly be called idle.

³Every thought you have contributes either to truth or to illusion; it either extends the truth or multiplies illusions. ⁴You can indeed multiply what is nothing, but you will not extend it by doing so.^V

3. In addition to recognizing that thoughts are never idle, salvation also requires that you acknowledge that every thought you have will bring either peace or conflict, either love or fear.

²A neutral result is impossible, because a neutral thought is impossible.

³The temptation to dismiss fearful thoughts as unimportant, trivial, or unworthy of attention is so great that it is essential to recognize them all as equally destructive, and equally unreal.^VI

⁴We will practice this idea in many forms before you come to truly understand it.

4. In applying today’s idea, search your mind for about a minute with eyes closed, and try sincerely not to overlook any “insignificant” thought that tends to elude your search.

²This will be quite difficult for you until you learn to do it.^VII

³You will find that it is still very hard for you not to make artificial distinctions.^VIII

5. Every thought that occurs to you, regardless of how you may classify it, is suitable for applying today’s idea.

²During the practice periods, repeat the idea first, and then, as each thought crosses your mind, hold it in awareness as you say to yourself:

³This thought about ____ is not a neutral thought.

⁴That thought about ____ is not a neutral thought.

6. As usual, use today’s idea whenever you become aware of a specific thought that causes you discomfort.

²The following form is suggested for this purpose:

³This thought about ____ is not a neutral thought, because I do not have neutral thoughts.

7. Four or five practice periods are recommended, if you find them relatively easy.

²If you experience strain, three will be enough.

³The length of the exercise period should also be reduced if it becomes uncomfortable.ucirse si se vuelve incómodo.

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^I You are Spirit (W-97),and the mind is the activating agent of the Spirit (G-1.1). You experience yourself in the mind and as mind. You know nothing but mind and you relate to nothing but your own thoughts, for there is nothing else. Some of the thoughts you conceive you call “opinions” and consider very “private.” Others you call “things” or “circumstances,” and you think they are external to you, but that belief is false, for nothing is outside you; if something were, you could neither relate to it nor know it at all. Your own body—or the idea you have of yourself—are your thoughts. The other people you think you relate to, and the world where you think that occurs, are also in your mind—where else would they be? This is why you always relate only to yourself, and the way you treat your thoughts is the way you treat yourself.

There are no neutral thoughts because every one of your thoughts has appeared in your mind for a reason—something has caused it—and that “something” is your will; you have the thoughts you invoke because you want to experience them. Both the world you see (thoughts you call “things”) and the stories you fantasize about (thoughts you recognize as ideas) have arisen in your imagination for some motive that brought them to your awareness. They did not appear out of nothing or at random; rather, they are the symbolic expression of your deepest fears and desires, and all of them serve a function.

The purpose of this Course in mind training is precisely to learn how to manage these thoughts by choosing the ones you do want—loving ones—and by reinterpreting the others according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit so as to remove from them their component of anger and fear, which are the same. Thus you forgive the world by ceasing to fear and attack it, and that is the beginning of living lucidly.

^II All the thoughts you are relating to now are false, for you relate to them in terms of “belief,” which is the spurious way of using the mind that was created to “create” in the same way it was created. To believe is merely to assign false attributes to your thoughts and to think that what you think is true and that your thoughts are something they are not.

^III Genesis 1:26: “And God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image and likeness.’”

^IV Just as true or real thoughts create reality by extending one’s very Being, false thoughts forge illusions. The former extend reality, and the latter shape the world in the ego mind. In every case, thoughts are never powerless, for they are causal and must necessarily have “effects.” Some are conceived within the realm of the real—what the Course calls “the Creations of God’s Son”—and others within the realm of illusion—illusions.

^V This, obviously, is a parody of the mathematical principle of nullity resulting from multiplying any number by zero. The Course’s use of the verb “to extend” is very difficult to interpret ontologically, for it is always used to refer to the creation of what is real. Thus, the Course states: “The Son of God is an extension of God.” The human mind—the self-limited mind of God’s Son—is configured to conceive forms, illusions, not real concepts, which are perfectly abstract.

For this reason, reality’s relationship with itself gives rise to the incomprehensible verb “to extend” which, while pointing to the idea of “increase,” cannot literally be taken that way either, since increase implies change and reality is immutable. These are the limitations inherent in language, which, in the end, is an instrument for communicating concepts within the realm of duality, yet proves ineffective for describing reality, which is non-dual.

^VI Salvation—the good news, the Gospel—lies precisely in the fact that fear-thoughts, lacking love, are unreal. This is why fear is unfounded. It is comparable to when we have a nightmare and find ourselves threatened in our sleep by a horrifying figure, which will always symbolize some lack of forgiveness. Upon awakening, we understand the fear was unfounded; what frightened us was an illusion.

However, one does not awaken from the dream of the world in the world. If you believe you are in the world, you cannot afford the luxury of blithely dismissing loveless false thoughts, for you will undoubtedly experience their effects in it. It is necessary to recognize the destructive nature of these thoughts and the power they have to embitter “life.”

Although the definitive solution is to awaken from the dream of the world, the strategy is to heal the mind. First, by becoming aware of the power of your “bad” thoughts in the world; then, by asking to “see this differently” in order to remove them. This is precisely the Atonement.

^VII This is an important sentence because it points to the Course’s sacrosanct principle of mental vigilance—the fundamental, ongoing task of the student of A Course in Miracles: to watch their mind at all times, to be alert, and to be aware of every thought that arises. As a rule, any thought that pops up unexpectedly is a manifestation of the ego—its grandiose aspirations or its deepest fears. It is essential to become aware of this, and this need can never be overemphasized.

Once you have become aware of such a thought, it is imperative to understand with absolute clarity that it is false and destructive and that, at best, it will only serve to waste time on idle fantasies. The compulsive flow of ego thoughts is always a sign that we find the present reality unsatisfactory and unworthy of our attention or appreciation, so we replace it with fantasies.

The sound mind, lit by the pure awareness of Being, is blissful; and what it beholds—the real world—is always wholly satisfying and evokes joy.

^VIII This too is fundamental. It is essential that you become aware that you now relate to your own thoughts according to an artificial scale or yardstick you yourself have established, which classifies them by arbitrarily assigning them a value or relevance. Thus you believe there are thoughts related to certain concepts that are more “valuable” or important than others. In reality, what you are doing is ranking illusions without noticing that all of them are the same: all are false.

One idea that is especially hard for you to accept is that the Holy Spirit does not share your scale of illusory values. You believe that He will surely give you more attention and care if, through tears, you ask Him to heal a malignant, lethal cancerous tumor than if you ask Him which would be better for you, a strawberry ice cream or a lemon one. But He does not see it that way. He sees only that God’s Son is dreaming and needs to awaken. The content of the dream is irrelevant to Him. It is not irrelevant to you, however, and therein lies the problem, because that imaginary contrast among illusions is precisely what sustains your dream.

This is a radical Course. Its goal is not to “improve” your life in this world, but to lead you to awaken from the illusion that you are in it.