ACIM Workbook
Healing Perspectives

Lesson 6

“I am upset because I see something that is not there.”

Have you ever been startled by something that you saw out of the corner of your eye, a shadow or something moving, then when you turned to look at it and saw that it was harmless, felt relief? This is an example of perceiving (seeing) something that is not there. When we recognize that what we think we see is not really there at all, it brings great relief. This is a tiny taste of the great relief that will come as we learn what the Course is teaching us and apply it to everything in our lives. It will lead us to a serenity that cannot be disturbed and happiness far beyond anything we have experienced in this world.

These lessons are taking us gently step-by-step towards this goal. Gratefully, we are not required to be able to apply these ideas to everything at once. We need only practice the idea as prescribed, knowing that as the introduction to the Workbook tells us, the exercises will take us to the desired goal. Affirming that “I am upset because I see something that is not there” helps me step back to observe my perception and interpretation with a little less attachment. It cracks the door open to allow the possibility of receiving Holy Spirit’s healing perception. I am willing to open the door.

Many times I have awakened in the morning to realize that the dream I was dreaming was not real. The circumstances I was dreaming were not really there. Many times I have felt relief that it was just a dream. This lesson is helping me recognize that my ‘day dream’ is not really there. Telling myself often today, “I am upset because I see something that is not there,” will bring me back to reality. My Source did not create this, and so it is not there. Love does not create a world of separate bodies, a world of constant change, and so it is not there.

This is a reality check for me. This helps me reconnect with the truth of what is real. This helps me detach from the dream I am making up and perceiving is real. In truth there is no duality and right now, while I am believing in duality, I need help in waking up to what is real. Dreams of separation are frightening. They do induce anger, fear, worry and depression. Dreams of separation are not happy dreams. Dreaming I am separate from Love is not a happy dream. Dreaming I am separate from my brothers is not a happy dream.

I am grateful that Jesus has provided these daily lessons to help me undo the fearful dreams I have made. I need constant reminders that what I am seeing with my body’s eyes is not really there. It is a huge relief, just like when I wake up in the morning realizing that the fearful dream is not real.

I can relax now. I can take this lesson and practice it again and again today. I can practice being mindful to recognize upsetting thoughts as they come up and apply the lesson for today. As I practice it, I find relief. It brings me to deeper levels of peace and inner calm.

I am so grateful that these lessons are here to help me let go of a make-believe world of separation. It is a great relief to know that this world could never be real in God’s loving Mind. And because we all are part of God’s Mind, it could never be real in our true mind... only foolish dreams of trying to separate from Reality. What relief today’s lesson brings.

For me, this lesson is one that emphasizes staying in the moment. It's happened to me so many times that I can worry or be upset about something that never happens anyway and I wasted alot of energy when I could have been enjoying other things. I believe when the course tells me basically that I can't begin to know how much love and peace I've missed because I was angry or upset. I would guess this is why there are no small upsets because no matter what form my upsets take, I believe I'm missing out on something better. Thank you, Holy Spirit, for loving me when I am not able to love myself.

My message for today is as follows: I am One with you now and always. This is real. This is your reality. All the rest is fiction, made up to disguise your fear that this is not so. You see what is not there. You see what you think is form. You have made it look so "real" that it fools you. You have chosen this way to live. Understand that it is a choice on your part. You can choose differently. You can rest in the awareness that your ego mind makes up stories about form that keeps you upset because you allow it to. You choose not to see that this is so, but you can come to greater awareness with the help of Holy Spirit. That part of your mind connected to Oneness in God is the part that can choose more and more to see the reality that is. It is only a mistake to see something, a "reality" that is not there. Let your mind be healed of this mistake. If you choose to be willing for this healing to occur, Holy Spirit will facilitate this healing. Rest with this awhile today.

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