Lesson 141. Review of Lessons 121 and 122.

“My mind holds only what I think with God,” is the key thought we will contemplate as we go through this next review, so let’s begin by looking deeply at what that means.

Interestingly, the dictionary does not define ‘think’ as the ongoing mental chatter in the mind, although most people tend to think that chatter is thinking. The dictionary defines ‘think’ as “to have a conscious mind” or “to have in consciousness.”

Therefore, “My mind holds only what I think with God” means that anything we are conscious of that is not truth is temporary. Only truth is lasting. And it is this simple fact that sets the stage for the contemplation of every lesson that we will review over the next ten days.

Sometimes A Course in Miracles uses the term “real thoughts” to refer to the thoughts we think with God. Real thoughts are the environment of pure consciousness. You can think of them as attitudes or ways of being. Real thoughts include:

~ All-is-well (peace)
~ Open embracing acceptance (love)
~ An inherent sense freedom—a sense of soaring from within (joy)
~ Intimacy with everything (oneness).

Patience, allowance and compassion are the reflections of our real thoughts.

So, “My mind holds only what I think with God” means that only these qualities are lasting. Everything else that appears in consciousness is temporary and passing.

With this in mind, we are asked to contemplate each day’s review lessons. The review instructions say, “Let each word [in the review lessons] shine with the meaning God has given it, as it was given to you through His Voice. Let each idea which you review that day give you the gift He has laid in it for you …”

As an example, here is my contemplation of today’s review lessons. They were contemplated with “My mind holds only what I think with God” in mind:

Forgiveness is knowing all is well all the time. This includes the knowledge that I need do nothing to try and control or manipulate any situation or any person. Forgiveness is the knowledge that nothing need be different. Forgiveness is knowing that all is well regardless of my perceived wants and needs. Forgiveness is knowing that what I am cannot be threatened and, therefore, need not be defended. Forgiveness is allowing what is, to be, without trying to fix or change it.

Forgiveness offers everything I want because it is the belief that something or someone needs to be controlled or changed that keeps me in bondage to the thinking mind. I don’t allow anything. I merely acknowledge that everything has already been allowed. I see that nothing is required to make this moment better or different. When I am not struggling to make this moment different, I am free. It is that simple. Freedom is what I want. I don’t want to be in bondage to an idealized version of this moment. I merely wish to experience it for what it is. In this, there is true freedom.

Lesson 140. Only salvation can be said to cure.

What is salvation, but that which will save you. What can save you but the realization of truth (the cure). Here, we are not ruled by body-mind-personality. Here, thoughts that don’t line up with truth are released. Here, thoughts don’t tell us we are unworthy or guilty or afraid or sinful or sick. At this point on our path, we know the only thing that really threatens our “health” is our own state of mind and that we don’t have to be affected by anything having to do with the world. We know that our true Self comes as a direct experience.

We know that salvation lies beyond this insanity we once perceived as normal. We know enlightenment is available now. We know as well, that our practice of relinquishing the false concepts and ideas about ourselves is a part of our healing. This can be done by simply looking at the falseness and recognizing it. The light has come.

So when we see the falsity of the egoic mind, doesn’t it follow that we can drop that way of thinking, that way of being and just watch with Awareness? Our cure comes from our wholeness, our Whole mind.

Lesson 140. Only salvation can be said to cure.

As we learned in Workbook Lesson 80, this lesson reiterates that there is but one problem and one solution. Though we may believe we must solve a myriad of problems in order to be safe, happy and/or loved, this belief is simply untrue.

We labor under this mistaken belief because we are mistaken about who we are.

Indeed, the thinking mind has convinced us that, not only can it scope out the source, the nature and the extent of the problem, but it generally offers us a multitude of possible remedies. The truth is, it is this problem/solution cycle that spins constantly in the thinking mind and distracts us from the truth of what we are.

When people believe they suffer because of a specific problem in form, it is easy to think their answer lies in resolving that specific problem. However, one problem follows another problem in the changing world of form. The only answer that resolves all problems is awakening to truth.

This is why our core practices have been withdrawing our believing attention from the chatter of the thinking mind and turning to awareness watching awareness.

As today’s Lesson advises, “The mind that brings illusions to the truth is really changed. There is no change but this. For how can one illusion differ from another but in attributes that have no substance, no reality, no core, and nothing that is truly different?”

We do not need to resolve our worldly problems in order to practice awareness-watching-awareness daily. Awareness is always present. During awareness-watching-awareness, we aren’t looking for anything in form to change as a result of our practice. Instead, we are taking a break from all illusions in order to focus solely on truth for a period of time.

It is okay to seek resolution to problems that come up in the dream. If there is a headache, it is okay to take aspirin. If a job ends, it is ok to look for another job. However, keep in mind that this is all dream stuff. Let the dream be the dream, AND remain clear on the goal. It is possible to do both by keeping the mind focused in the direction of truth. This is often referred to as “being in the world but not of it.”

Let’s remember, the goal is not to change the dream. The goal is to awaken from it.

Lesson 139, I will accept the Atonement for myself.

Who you are is All Knowing Oneness. In this you have no choice. For there to be a choice about who you are, there would have to be identities for you to choose between.

You could choose personhood and separation (fear, guilt, death, etc.). Or you could make a choice fot truth or forgiveness or peace or love or life.

The deceived mind thinks it is a separate person because it identifies with separate thoughts (fear, guilt, death, etc.) What one must realize is this mistaken identity must be given up because it doesn’t exist. If you think your life is being a real person living in the world then you will see life with choices. But the choices are between illusions and what kind of choice is that? That isn’t a real choice.

The real choice comes from the one who seeks the truth. This one sees what one isn’t. This one comes to see that personhood and separation (fear, guilt, death, etc.) do not exist and never have occurred. This one is the one who makes their mind ready for truth. This complete acceptance is the Atonement. It is the correction for the seeming separation. This is our part: Accepting the Atonement for ourselves.

Lesson 139, I will accept the Atonement for myself.

I love, love, love today’s workbook lesson. It is so simple and clear! Yet, I don’t think I saw it that way the first time I did the Course in Miracles Workbook. I don’t think I knew what it talked about then when it said, “Who is the doubter? … He has accepted [truth] because he lives; has judged against it and denied its worth, and has decided that he does not know the only certainty by which he lives.”