The last twenty lessons have been foundational. Because of that, we will spend a full twenty days reviewing those twenty lessons. We want to absorb those lessons to the point that they become our automatic response to the world, the thinking mind, and negative emotional experiences.
That’s why the review instructions say, “Besides the time you give morning and evening, which should not be less than fifteen minutes, and the hourly remembrances you make throughout the day, use the idea as often as you can between them.”
In fact, referring to the importance of these twenty lessons, the review instructions go on to say, “Each of these ideas alone would be sufficient for salvation, if it were learned truly. … Each contains the whole curriculum if understood, practiced, accepted, and applied to all the seeming happenings throughout the day. One is enough. But from that one, there must be no exceptions made.” However, we will use them all and “let them blend as one, as each contributes to the whole we learn.”
In addition to the structured instructions given in the first paragraph of the review instructions (and repeated in the second paragraph above), you are asked to use the day’s idea whenever you are tempted to speak, act or think from ego. The review instructions say, “Permit no idle thought to go unchallenged. If you notice one, deny its hold and hasten to assure your mind that this is not what it would have. Then gently let the thought which you denied be given up, in sure and quick exchange for the idea we practice for the day.”
For example, you can say, “This thought I do not want. I choose instead ______. And then repeat the idea for the day, and let it take the place of what you thought.”
This thoughtful remembrance of the day’s idea is not the end of your response to temptation. After gently shifting with the heart from the ego-based thought to the review lesson, you will experience at least an instant of relative quiet. We are asked to use that moment of quiet to ask spiritual intuition for guidance that suits the moment.
In fact, the review instructions say, “To Him I offer this review for you. I place you in His charge, and let Him teach you what to do and say and think, each time you turn to Him.”
This is a good time to review Inner Ramana’s instructions about surrender.
As we go through this review period, I will begin each tip with a summary of these review instructions. I will also provide a summary review of the idea for the day along with a link to the original tip for that idea. Beyond that, you will be left to inner guidance, “allowing Him to teach us how to go, and trusting Him completely for the way each practice period can best become a loving gift of freedom to the world.”
Today’s review idea is:
I am not a body. I am free. For I am still as God created me.
I trust my brothers, who are one with me.
When most of us read the word “brothers,” we immediately think of the body-minds of others. The body-mind is not what our brothers are. This is also why we do not need to replace the word “brothers” with “brothers and sisters.” When we contemplate this lesson, we are not looking at a body-mind; we are looking at sexless awareness-life-presence. “Brothers” in this idea is a symbol for that which is beyond changing form, for that which is constant.
As you contemplate the idea for today, contemplate awareness-life-presence, which is what our brothers are and what we are.
