Lesson 11
My meaningless thoughts are showing me
a meaningless world.
W-pI.11.1. This is the first idea we have had that is related to a major phase of the correction process; the reversal of the thinking of the world. 2 It seems as if the world determines what you perceive. 3 Today’s idea introduces the concept that your thoughts determine the world you see. 4 Be glad indeed to practice the idea in its initial form, for in this idea is your release made sure. 5 The key to forgiveness lies in it.
W-pI.11.2. The practice periods for today’s idea are to be undertaken somewhat differently from the previous ones. 2 Begin with your eyes closed, and repeat the idea slowly to yourself. 3 Then open your eyes and look about, near and far, up and down,—anywhere. 4 During the minute or so to be spent in using the idea merely repeat it to yourself, being sure to do so without haste, and with no sense of urgency or effort.
W-pI.11.3. To do these exercises for maximum benefit, the eyes should move from one thing to another fairly rapidly, since they should not linger on anything in particular. 2 The words, however, should be used in an unhurried, even leisurely fashion. 3 The introduction to this idea, in particular, should be practiced as casually as possible. 4 It contains the foundation for the peace, relaxation and freedom from worry that we are trying to achieve. 5 On concluding the exercises, close your eyes and repeat the idea once more slowly to yourself.
W-pI.11.4. Three practice periods today will probably be sufficient. 2 However, if there is little or no uneasiness and an inclination to do more, as many as five may be undertaken. 3 More than this is not recommended.
Journal
In the previous lessons, we have established that what we see is meaningless and that we have given it all the meaning it has for us. We also see that our thoughts are like the things we see. They, too, are meaningless, but that we do have real thoughts that we are unaware of because we place our focus on the meaningless ideas that pass for thoughts in this world. We have learned that we are never upset for the reason we think because we see something that is not there. This is because we are preoccupied with past thoughts.
What becomes clear is that there is a direct relationship between what we see and what we think and that to see differently we must think differently. Our usual way of thinking is that we see something and then we have a thought about it. But that is backward. Actually, we think about something and then we see it. Our thoughts are projected outward and appear as if they have taken form in a world. Another way to say this is, what we see in the world are thought-forms coming from our mind.
Because our thoughts are meaningless, we are seeing a meaningless world. This is the idea that we have been approaching with these lessons. Jesus says that we are doing nothing less than reversing the thinking of the world. If we want to experience the world differently, we must think of the world differently because it is our thoughts that show us this world. This is a very important lesson.
My house is being repaired still, but the repair is stalled right now while we wait for the countertops. I can’t use my cabinets, or at least the ones on the bottom until the countertop is in place. This is causing a lot of inconveniences. There are two ways for me to see this and the one I choose will decide how I experience this time in my life.
I can accept the feelings of being inconvenienced as legitimate and if I do, I will no longer be peaceful and certainly, I will not be happy. If I keep that thought in my mind, I will blame the company that cut them wrong and caused this hold up. I will blame my contractor for not being on top of it. I will be miserable and I will experience guilt in my mind. All of those thoughts are meaningless and are showing me a meaningless, frustrating, and upsetting world.
Another way I can see this, and the way I choose, is that there is only one fact in this story; the repair is stalled. Every other thought I could have had would have been something I decided to think and would have no reality aside from my decision to think it. It is just a bunch of judgments. Judgments are not facts, they are just meaningless thoughts, meaningless because we don’t have all the information we need to make judgments. I am no longer as insane as I used to be, so, I am choosing to place my awareness elsewhere.
Instead of deciding that things should be different than they are and that my salvation rests on an arbitrary time table that cannot be met, I am letting my awareness rest on gratitude. I am grateful for the company that accepted responsibility for the error and is re-cutting the counters at their own expense. I am grateful for my contractor who has found other work to do to help an elderly couple get back in their home while we wait for the countertops. I am grateful for his fine workmanship and his patient and helpful demeanor. I am happy and peaceful.