Regina’s Tip for Lesson 4

As mentioned in the tip for lesson 2, theory alone is not enough to undo the ego filter that colors the way you see the world. To undo the ego and realize true perception, you must engage in properly structured spiritual practice. It’s important that you practice the daily Workbook exercises in the way the Workbook asks you to practice them.

Often, people do not practice the Workbook the way it asks them to practice, because as they get involved in their day, they forget about the Workbook practice. Forgetfulness is an ego preservation strategy. If you’d like to experience true perception in this lifetime, you need to overcome the ego’s forgetfulness.

Here’s a tip that will help you overcome forgetfulness:

When you finish the practice in the morning, make a decision about when you will do the practice next. If you want to, you can set an alarm for the next practice session. Each time you finish the practice during the day, make a decision about when you will do the practice next. If you make a conscious decision about when you will do the next practice session, you are less likely to forget to do it.

Continue to follow this tip about overcoming forgetfulness whenever it applies to any Workbook lesson.

Homework for the week:

1. Homework Assignment A: ACIM Workbook Lessons 1-7
   1. First, read the lesson all the way through and then practice the lesson according to its instructions
   2. If you have done the ACIM workbook before, you may add what you hear and feel to the exercises for Lessons 1-3
   3. As you do exercises 1-3, you may notice the meaning you have given to things. Just notice and continue with the exercise
   4. Tip for Lesson 4: Sometimes people have trouble remembering to do the workbook lesson when it is to be done more than twice per day. They get on with their day and forget all about the lesson. Here’s a tip: When you finish the workbook lesson 4 in the morning, make a decision about when you will do it next. After you do the lesson the second time, make a decision about when to do it again. After the third time, make a decision about when to do it for the fourth time. If you make a conscious decision about when you will do the exercise next, you are less likely to forget to do it.
2. Homework Assignment B: Read NTI Luke, Chapters 12 (p151-155), and Chapters 16-17 (p161-167).
   1. Do not read all at once. Read a little each day contemplatively.
   2. Explore the reading through journaling. Journal clarity, questions, confusion, resistance, willingness, etc.
   3. If there is a Bible icon before a verse reference, read those verses from the Bible before reading that interpretation from NTI
   4. Listen to Adyashanti video in Gentle Healing Playlist: Click Here to Watch

What is the Ego?

Our special theme says, “The ego is ‘proof’ that strength is weak and love is fearful, life is really death, what opposes God alone is true.”

In other words, the ego is “proof” that we are limited humans existing in a body in a world and destined to die.

What that means to me is that the ego is the source of doubt.

Do you ever experience doubt? Do you ever doubt that enlightenment is real? Do you ever doubt that eternal life is real? Do you ever doubt that you could awaken to truth beyond this world?

Fortunately, although we sometimes experience doubt, doubt isn’t all that is in our minds. There is also willingness; there may even be a longing to search for truth, possibly a longing so strong that it feels like a calling you can’t ignore.

Will we listen to the ego’s doubts and resign ourselves to the self and world that we are familiar with? Or will we follow our willingness, longing or calling, and engage in the spiritual practice that leads beyond the ego and its doubts?

How far are we willing to go in order to discover truth beyond the ego?

Forgiveness ends the dream of conflict here.

The prayer in today’s lesson says:

Father, forgiveness is the light You chose to shine away all conflict and all doubt, and light the way for our return to You. No light but this can end our evil dream. No light but this can save the world. For this alone will never fail in anything, being Your gift to Your beloved Son.

Forgiveness, as we have seen, is abiding as our unaffected Self. It’s often called being the observer or remaining in Presence.

Our lesson begins by saying, “Conflict must be resolved. It cannot be evaded, set aside, denied, disguised, seen somewhere else, called by another name, or hidden by deceit of any kind…”

What is the difference between abiding as the unaffected Self and falling for habits like evasion, setting aside, denying, etcetera?

How can we abide as the unaffected Self when we feel affected by something or someone?

Consider asking one of these questions, or a similar question, and writing to realize helpful clarity about abiding as the unaffected Self. Any clarity you receive will help, especially if you are going through the purification stage right now.

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