Yesterday I wrote that “light” and “awareness” are synonymous in the context of Lesson 44. If you read Lesson 44 with this realization, the lesson speaks clearly. For example, it says “light and life must go together, being but different aspects of creation.” In this sentence, “creation” is a term used to mean the ‘totality of reality’. It doesn’t refer to form. It refers to the cumulative aspects of reality, such as life (isness), awareness (light), intelligence (knowledge) and love (all-embracing allowance).

In Lesson 44, we are focused on one of those aspects, light (awareness). We are told, “In order to see (true vision), you must recognize that light is within, not without.” In other words, we don’t see by sunlight or by light bulb. Seeing isn’t with the eyes at all. We see with awareness.

In The Most Direct Means to Eternal Bliss Michael Langford wrote, “Awareness is not thought. Awareness is that which is aware of thought. … Awareness is not emotions. Awareness is that which is aware of emotions. … Awareness is not the objects seen by the eyes. Awareness is that which is aware of the objects seen by the eyes.”

Here’s a brief story that points directly to the light of awareness:

The other day I was taking a shower in a bathroom with no windows. While I was in the shower, the electricity went out. Since there wasn’t a window in the bathroom, once the lights went out I could not see anything at all. It was as dark as the darkest cave. Even though I couldn’t see anything, I was aware I could not see. The light of awareness was present even though physical light was not present. That’s why Lesson 44 says, “An essential part of this equipment is the light that makes seeing possible. It is with you always, making vision possible in every circumstance.”

As we practice Lesson 44, we are focused on the aspect of reality known as awareness. Since awareness is an aspect of reality, focusing on awareness is a way of realizing the nature of reality. Thus, keeping attention on awareness is “attempting something very holy.”

Note: There is no tip for the third day with Lesson 44. However, be sure to read and practice Lesson 44 tomorrow too. The day after tomorrow, go on to Lesson 45.

Homework for this week

1. Homework Assignment A: Workbook lessons 43-46. Practice lesson 44 for 3 days in a row; practice lesson 45 for 2 days in a row. These are not intended as ‘breaks’ from the workbook lessons. Practice the lesson fully each day that it is assigned.
2. Homework Assignment B: Read Regina’s Tips for Lessons 43-46. The tip should be read after reading the lesson on your own.
3. Homework Assignment C: Read NTI Acts, Chapters 5-7, p 222-228.
4. Homework Assignment D: Read ACIM, Chapter 9.VII, The Two Evaluations

The primary theme in today’s reading is this:

Our thinking is not who we are;
therefore, it cannot lead us to know what we are.

We have learned to trust our thinking, which is one of the most foolish lessons we’ve ever learned. In fact, the three most foolish lessons we have ever learned are:

1. I am a self
2. I am this self (body-mind-personality)
3. I am a bad/lacking self

When you look at those three lessons, you see everything that we need to unlearn.

Of course, the self that believes these ideas cannot heal us of these ideas. That is why we need to learn to trust the guidance that comes from within, which may sometimes seem contrary to our will. What we perceive as ‘our will’ is based primarily on the last two lessons in the list above. What we perceive as ‘our will’ is a defense against the belief that we are bad or lacking, and it upholds the idea that we are a specific body-mind-personality. What we perceive as ‘our will’ is the obstacle to realizing our truth.

That’s why today’s reading says, “Do not ask for what you want. Ask Me what it is that you need, and I shall lead you to it.”

When we ask for specific things or circumstances that we want, those specific things are based on the fears and desires of the specific bad or lacking self that we think we are. Therefore, believing we need or want those things reinforces the idea that we are that self. By letting go of what we think we want, and by asking in trust for whatever it is that we need, we loosen our grip on who we think we are.

Today’s reading says, “Do not be confused. Your will is not the same as God’s, but when you lay your will aside and walk with God, you will know that you are one with Him.”

A common confusion is this idea: I am one with God, so what I want for myself is also what God wants for me. However, that confusion ignores the fact that you are confused about what you are. God is not confused about what you are. God’s Will is that you know your truth. That’s why you have been called from within to awaken. That’s why you are on this spiritual path. However, most of what you think you want still comes from mistaken ideas about who you are.

You are one with God. That is what God wants you to know—that is what awakening is—but that is not learned by reinforcing that you are the person you think you are. God’s Will is different from your will. Your will is based on mistaken ideas about who you are, and your will reinforces those ideas. God’s Will is the truth of what you are.

The reading asks us to let go of “old habits and old ways of thinking.” We can start by doing these two things:

1. Practice letting go of judgments as taught in yesterday’s tip.
2. Ask for what we need instead of asking for what we want. We can practice with the daily thought. When we contemplate the thought we can ask, “What would You have me see or realize from today’s thought,” and then see what unfolds from asking that question.
   

Thoughts of Awakening # 6

I am Grace,
and I am within you.
Your role is simply this:
Listen only unto Me.

You are free to deny
every thought
that is not of Me
by simply recognizing it
as meaningless and valueless.

By Grace you are redeemed.
Listen in peace.
Place your ears on Me.

~From our Holy Spirit

Homework for this week

1. Homework Assignment A: Workbook lessons 43-46. Practice lesson 44 for 3 days in a row; practice lesson 45 for 2 days in a row. These are not intended as ‘breaks’ from the workbook lessons. Practice the lesson fully each day that it is assigned.
2. Homework Assignment B: Read Regina’s Tips for Lessons 43-46. The tip should be read after reading the lesson on your own.
3. Homework Assignment C: Read NTI Acts, Chapters 5-7, p 222-228.
4. Homework Assignment D: Read ACIM, Chapter 9.VII, The Two Evaluations

We cannot practice kindness if we continue to judge others. Every time we are not kind, it is because of judgment.

Today’s reading begins with a strong statement. It says, “Judgment is like a knife that cuts the Son of God [consciousness] into pieces, for what you judge as separate from you is seen as separate, and so it cannot be seen as one.”

That means if we want to awaken to unity-consciousness, we need to let go of judgment.

How do we let go of judging others? It is as simple as remembering what you truly want over and over and over again. The process looks like this:

1. A judgment comes into the mind. If you see the judgment with awareness, you can choose not to believe it right then, and this process is over. If you are lost in thinking and believe the judgment, you will experience an emotional effect. It could be a slight annoyance, outright anger, fear or any other effect.
2. The emotional effect can be like an alarm clock for you. You were not aware when you believed the judgment; the emotional effect can wake you up so that you return to awareness. As you become more practiced, the emotional effect will wake you up immediately. In the beginning, you may live with an emotion for a long time before you finally allow it to wake you up and bring you back to awareness.
3. When you become aware of the emotion, be grateful you’ve become aware, and then look at the mind to see what the judgment is. The judgment is present in the mind whenever the emotion is present, because there is a simultaneous cause and effect relationship between the judgment and the emotion.
4. See the judgment, and then ask yourself if you would rather hold onto this judgment (like a knife) or if you would rather know unity consciousness as a direct experience. Really look at what is most important to you.
5. Once you are in touch with your desire to know unity consciousness, make a decision to release the judgment. I whisper my decision to myself in the mind. I say, “I take it back.” That means, I take back believing this judgment. I’m not interested in it. I am more interested in truth.

Practice this process over and over and over and over again, each time you discover you’ve believed another judgment about someone. You can also practice it with judgments you believe about yourself or anything else. With time, you will see fewer judgments in your mind. It will also get easier to let go of judgments as soon as they appear in the mind, so that the process ends at step #1 and an emotional effect never occurs.

Consistent practice is the key to transcending judgment. It takes a lot of determination—a lot of “I really want to do this’’—but it can be done. You are allowed to change your mind. Remember this hint: It’s easier to let go of a judgment when you are in touch with what you really want.

When a judgment feels stuck—meaning you’ve tried, but you can’t let it go—look at the situation more deeply using Root Cause Inquiry, Byron Katie’s ‘The Work’ or some other form of inquiry. There is more to be seen; there is a deeper belief that is being triggered by the situation. Use inquiry to find the belief, and then use the process from this tip to change your mind about it.

I recommend printing this tip so you can reference it repeatedly until the process above is a new habit. You will have to change your mind many times in order to change the mind. That’s because you are reprogramming the brain. The brain wasn’t programmed with just one thought one time. It was programmed through habitual thinking. A new habit of thought—the process taught in this tip—will reprogram it.

Thoughts of Awakening # 5

Gratitude is a place of peace
within your heart
that knows the joy
of being
as it is.

It asks for nothing else.

Gratitude is joyful,
peaceful,
willing
acceptance.

~From our Holy Spirit