ACIM Workbook Lesson 4
These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like
the things I see in this room [on this street,
from this window, in this place].
W-pI.4.1. Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. 2 In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. 3 Then apply the idea to them. 4 If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. 5 Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are “bad.” 6 You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called “good” or “bad.” 7 This is why they do not mean anything.
W-pI.4.2. In selecting the subjects for the application of today’s idea, the usual specificity is required. 2 Do not be afraid to use “good” thoughts as well as “bad.” 3 None of them represents your real thoughts, which are being covered up by them. 4 The “good” ones are but shadows of what lies beyond, and shadows make sight difficult. 5 The “bad” ones are blocks to sight, and make seeing impossible. 6 You do not want either.
W-pI.4.3. This is a major exercise, and will be repeated from time to time in somewhat different form. 2 The aim here is to train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful. 3 It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you, and the meaningful within. 4 It is also the beginning of training your mind to recognize what is the same and what is different.
W-pI.4.4. In using your thoughts for application of the idea for today, identify each thought by the central figure or event it contains; for example:
2 This thought about _____ does not mean anything.
3 It is like the things I see in this room [on this street, and so on].
W-pI.4.5. You can also use the idea for a particular thought that you recognize as harmful. 2 This practice is useful, but is not a substitute for the more random procedures to be followed for the exercises. 3 Do not, however, examine your mind for more than a minute or so. 4 You are too inexperienced as yet to avoid a tendency to become pointlessly preoccupied.
W-pI.4.6. Further, since these exercises are the first of their kind, you may find the suspension of judgment in connection with thoughts particularly difficult. 2 Do not repeat these exercises more than three or four times during the day. 3 We will return to them later.
Initial Insight: This was particularly hard to believe and even a little scary when first considered. If I had not absolutely trusted Jesus as my teacher, I doubt I could have accepted it as true. However, after practicing the lessons and allowing the Holy Spirit to heal my mind, I was able to prove to myself that what he says here is true.
Here is an idea I want to highlight.
4 The “good” ones are but shadows of what lies beyond, and shadows make sight difficult. 5 The “bad” ones are blocks to sight, and make seeing impossible. 6 You do not want either.
This is why I am not interested in the ego thoughts in my mind. Even the best of those thoughts is a shadow that keeps me from seeing clearly. An example of this is the thought that I am so proud of children for their accomplishments and for how they have chosen to live their lives. That seems like a good thought, but it contains within it the possibility that I would not be proud of them if they did something I didn’t like.
It also speaks only of their ego stories and doesn’t even acknowledge their reality as a Son of God, and the ego character we play is not who we are and it is very unstable so who knows what it will do next. If I look more deeply into the original statement, I see that it is quite self-centered as I have judged how they should be and then given my stamp of approval that they lived up to my expectations. There are other reasons that this “good” thought is a shadow over the glorious truth.
If I look at the bad thoughts and believe them, I completely obscure sight of the truth. I used to hold grievances against my ex-husband. Those grievances hid him from me. All I could see were his faults and because I judged him, I had to judge myself because judgment was in my mind. We both stood condemned in my sight.
This was more detrimental than I could imagine because as Jesus says in the Text, we cannot enter into the presence of God if we attack His Son, and my ex-husband is His Son and so am I and my judgment attacked us both. Those grievances blinded me to the truth of who we are.
The only thoughts that interest me I don’t judge as either good or bad. These are the thoughts that are helpful. Does a thought help me to perceive more accurately, or in a way that is more in alignment with truth? Then that is the one I use. I assume that this thought is given to me for that purpose.
Daily Application: I am already convinced that my thoughts do not mean anything, but I still have to remind myself of this from time to time. I accepted the offer on the house that I am planning to buy. I notice ego thoughts about what this means and what should happen next and a did I make a mistake. None of these thoughts mean anything and I am not interested in them. The ego-mind hates this and insists I have to think about this and make decisions, but I have learned that I don’t. I clear my mind of those meaningless thoughts and wait for my Inner Guide to direct me to the next step. Doing it this way is peaceful and fruitful. Listening to the ego thoughts and thinking I have to decide and plan for myself is stressful and often leads me down a painful path.
Insights from Holy Spirit: Holy Spirit, this whole process with the house has been very good for me. It helped me to see the temptation to believe the meaningless thoughts and to remember how that feels, and now that I have changed my mind, I see how much better it is if I ignore those thoughts and turn to You instead.
HS: I know it felt very uncomfortable while you were briefly confused, but the lesson is an important one and I know you appreciate it for the gift it is. Do not be at all concerned that there is still some purification to be done. This is normal and you see that it is so much easier for you to see clearly than it was when you were just learning how to do this. Your dedication to your spiritual aspiration is the reason you go through these processes so quickly and easily. Now I want you to remember that the fear of losing ground is just another meaningless ego thought. You know Who you belong to now and that is not going to change.
Gratitude: Thank you, Holy Spirit for your encouragement and reassurance.