ACIM Lesson 2 I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me.
I have given everything I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place] all the meaning that it has for me.
1. The exercises with this idea are the same as those for the first one. ²Begin with the things that are near you, and apply the idea to whatever your glance rests on. ³Then increase the range outward. ⁴Turn your head so that you include whatever is on either side. ⁵If possible, turn around and apply the idea to what was behind you. ⁶Remain as indiscriminate as possible in selecting subjects for its application, do not concentrate on anything in particular, and do not attempt to include everything you see in a given area, or you will introduce strain.
2. Merely glance easily and fairly quickly around you, trying to avoid selection by size, brightness, color, material, or relative importance to you. ²Take the subjects simply as you see them. ³Try to apply the exercise with equal ease to a body or a button, a fly or a floor, an arm or an apple. ⁴The sole criterion for applying the idea to anything is merely that your eyes have lighted on it. ⁵Make no attempt to include anything particular, but be sure that nothing is specifically excluded.
How about This Cup?
First, we are told that nothing we see with our eyes means anything and now we are told that we give everything we see all the meaning it has for us. How odd that sounds. I might argue that the cup in front of me means the same thing to everyone. But then I remember when I was teaching my toddler to drink from a cup. When I first gave it to him, he played with it. I had to teach him what the cup means to me so that he would know what to do with it.
Another thought that came to me is that I am very particular about my cups. Before I buy one I consider how it looks. If I find it attractive, I hold it in my hand to see how heavy it is. I make sure the handle fits my fingers comfortably. So, not all cups mean the same thing to me and what I might like, someone else might not.
We could also consider what it is for. Thinking about my first cup of coffee in the morning makes me smile. It would seem that part of the meaning I give the cup is that it is something that makes me happy. Further, as I reach for that cup, I might say it is to hold my coffee and someone else might think of it as something to hold their tea. Maybe tea makes them smile, too, or maybe they are pretty neutral about the whole thing. In that case, the cup will have a different meaning for them than it does for me.
Meaning Changes Over Time
Evidently, we give everything we see all the meaning it has for us. The meaning I give something might change over time. I got a microphone for Christmas to use to make my videos and podcasts. I’m pretty excited about that at the moment. The meaning I am giving it is that the newness and the potential are exciting, but after a while, it will simply be another tool I use. Thus, with time, the meaning has changed.
I consider what it is for. It is for communicating more effectively, and it is for sharing what Spirit gives me. And so, it is for joining and bringing us closer to God. For someone else, it might have a different use. If I were a musician, it might be for making myself heard over the instruments. Maybe for some musicians, it would be for the chance to be famous. We each give everything we see all the meaning it has for us.
Some Interesting Implications
Again, Jesus reminds us to give each object equal weight. As we have been told, each thing we see is the same as the next thing we see. And, none of them have meaning outside what we give to them. This suggests some interesting implications for the things we see. If all things we see with our eyes are meaningless, then this body is no more meaningful than this cup. This calls for some very radical shifts in thinking.
To enjoy the Pathways of Light Insights on ACIM Lesson 2 click here.
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