ACIM Workbook
Healing Perspectives

Lesson 32

“I have invented the world I see.”

At any time, I am either joining with the ego thought system or the Holy Spirit’s thought system. When I join with the ego thought system, the world I invent is filled with struggle, victimhood and lack. I feel separate and alone. I feel like life is hard. Things don’t seem to go easy. It is filled with blame and guilt and tragedy. On the other hand, if I join with the Holy Spirit, the world looks very different. I see innocence instead of guilt.

I see unity instead of separation. I see that the only meaning for time is to now awaken to the truth and join with my brothers in that awakening. I see that we all go Home together. We don’t go Home alone. My take on the world is the total opposite of the ego’s perspective. So each day, each hour, each minute, it is my choice. Do I join with the ego’s invention or do I allow the Holy Spirit to write the script? Which I choose at any moment is up to me. This choice determines the world I see.

As I was doing the exercise for today, I looked out the window, at the new snow that had fallen over night. I made a beautiful, lacy image of the trees. It sure didn’t seem like I invented the world I am seeing. But I was reminded of a recent lesson in which we were to look at various objects and say, for instance, “God is in that tree, or God is in the snow.” I remembered that in that lesson it said that certainly God is not in that physical object as I see it. In fact, my seeing of the object blocks my awareness that God is there.

So if I am not aware of God in everything, it is not because God is not there, for God is in my mind. It is because I am seeing a world I have invented that stands between me and my awareness of God. I have invented the world as I see it. Were I able to strip away what I have invented, I would see only God. I would see God everywhere, because God is in my mind.

That is why it is important for me to realize that it is I who have invented the world I see. It is in recognizing this that I open my mind to a new way of seeing. It also reminds me that I have absolute control of what I see and what I experience. I always have choice. I am not the victim of the world. I can join with the Holy Spirit and see the world with Christ vision. I can see God everywhere. I can see Love everywhere.

I have invented the world I see. What an exhilarating thought this is for me. As I truly begin to understand this and take responsibility for my thoughts, I become aware that I am free to choose. I can continue, along with the ego thought system, to create thoughts within my mind that terrorize myself, or I can place my mind under the guidance of Jesus and ask for each thought to be rewritten as an expression or extension of Love. I can choose to separate with my thoughts or I can choose to heal my mind and bless the world. I am free as God created me.

I was talking to a clerk in a store yesterday and she started talking about how scary things are now, with the failing economy, talk of war etc. As she talked on, I found myself responding with one of those stock answers we use to just make conversation in which I was basically agreeing with her. I stopped myself from continuing that way and wanted to say something constructive, but someone else came in and the opportunity passed.

It made me very aware of how careless I am with my thoughts and words. It also made me aware of my responsibility to myself and my brothers. I had an opportunity to speak truth and chose to add to the illusion instead. I feel thankful that I saw myself doing this and was aware of my error. Now I have the opportunity to choose differently. I'm grateful for today's lesson because it gives me a chance to reinforce my lesson from yesterday. My thoughts have effects, and my thoughts are my choice. I can change them.

I, too, found myself agreeing with several people yesterday about how bad things are and last night I was in a state of confusion. As I worked with my facilitator last night, what came to me was that my agreement with any ego gives my ego permission to rule!

I was miserable and didn't really understand why until this morning! I do have a choice as to whether I listen to ego or to Holy Spirit. I am not a victim and I cannot agree with anyone that they are either. Out of my own Self interest, I must be generous with the Truth. I can change my mind about myself.

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