Lesson 112. Review of Lessons 93 and 94.

Today’s contemplation tip: First, let go of anything you think you understand about what you read. Start with a clean slate–an “I don’t know what this means” attitude–and let understanding be given. For example, when you contemplate today’s workbook lesson, do not assume you know what “light,” “joy” and “peace” are, even if you have received clarity about those terms before. Let today’s inspiration be free to interpret those symbols in a new enlightening way. Second, in order to receive wisdom, we have to be willing not to judge what we receive. Open to receive understanding and write it as it comes without judgment.

Connie’s contemplation of Lesson 112:

Light and joy and peace abide in me.

I have a few problems in my life, but mostly the life I live is “good”.  I”ve got family and friends who love me, a successful business and a pretty good golf game, but even with all of this I feel the purposelessness of this life.  I’m not saving lives by finding a cure for cancer nor do I know how to prevent global climate change.  My purpose is my spiritualty.  If Awareness being aware of Itself is the portal to seeing that light and joy and peace abide in me then I want to be about it.  Light and joy and peace is my nature.  I cannot be separate from these.

I am as God created me.

The second part of today’s review say’s “I am as God created me.”  Awareness watching awareness seems to be the avenue for me to experience the changelessness.  It resonates.  God is here and I am one with all that is.

Lesson 111. Review of Lessons 91 and 92.

Wow! Here we are, Lesson 111 and our third review! Read the instructions for the review carefully. Notice that we are given this review as an opportunity to re-devote ourselves to our own Awakening. Notice that we are asked to be gentle but firm in our resolve. Notice that we are asked to recognize any resistance we find and to meet it with the discipline of our true desire.

We will use this period of review to enhance our contemplation skills. The tips each day during the review will help you learn the art of contemplation.

Contemplation brings clarity to the mind, so that the mind can operate with wisdom instead of through ignorance. Contemplation provides the opportunity to learn from within yourself, to be guided from within yourself and to receive vision from within yourself.

Regina wrote the following in her contemplation of the art of contemplation: “Contemplation is not thinking or trying to understand. Contemplation is silent diving into the restful, devotional, open heart of the words, and there being; just being in the state of contemplation without seeking to understand or get answers.”

When you contemplate, write down what comes and review it several times throughout the day. It may come in words, as a picture, as a vision or as a feeling. If it comes as one of the latter three, consider making a few notes that will remind you of the experience later.

Here is my personal contemplation of Lesson 111.

Miracles are seen in light.

Miracles are seen in light, and light and strength are one.

Miracles are that which is seen through the heart. This is where the light resides. Every single thing is a miracle. It all has such depth and beauty. This is what is missed when thoughts intrude. The heaviness–the burden of the world–is its darkness. It is this I am ready to release. And how is it released? By listening to the heart. What does the heart say? Rejoice! Be glad in each thing and in all things. My strength is who I am. My weakness is believing that other than this could be so. This is what is held at arms length by definition, distinction and distortion. Hold life lightly. It is no coincidence that those words, light and light(ly), are the same.

Strength and light and truth and joy are one. These blessings can only be found within my heart because this is what I am. In my weakness I return to that upon which I have always relied—the thinking mind. Weakness is not evil, but confusion—or lack of sight.

As I reach for the light that is my own true nature, I will feel its strength within me and I will see with vision. This seeing is the miracle.

Lesson 110. I am as God created me.

If I am as God created me and the illusions of fear and evil and misery and death do not exist, then I must be something other than what my perceptions have led me to believe. Either the illusory world in which health turns to sickness and death consumes life and fear replaces love isn’t real (my truth) and/or I am not this body-mind-personality that seems to experience what this lesson says has not occurred.

This lesson goes on to say, “If you are as God created you, then there has been no separation of your mind from His, no split between your mind and other minds, and only unity within your own.”  Doesn’t this speak to Awareness? If Awareness is what we are, we must be omnipresent, present everywhere at the same time. The lesson supports this by saying, “The healing power of  today’s idea is limitless. It is the birthplace of all miracles, the great restorer of truth to the awareness of the world.”

Today we are asked to give five minutes an hour to realize our truth; to let go of our worship of false idols and false images like the concepts and roles and ideas we believe about ourselves. Everything is a concept until it is a direct experience. A direct experience can be brought about through Self-Inquiry.  Self-Inquiry is simply LOOKING to see what you are. “Then, with [the statement I am as God created me] firmly in your mind, [we will] try to discover the Self Who is the holy Son of God Himself” (Awareness).  In addition, pay attention to those thoughts that tell you who you are. Those thoughts make the “graven image” that replace/hide the Son of God.

Below are some Self-Inquiry tips provided by Regina, as well as, a link to a reading that Regina shared of “The Untethered Soul,” which focused on Self-Inquiry. The Self-Inquiry part begins about 1 hour and 20 minutes into the teaching.

~ Listen to a sound in your environment & then ask, “Who hears this?” Turn attention to become aware of you, the awareness that hears.

~ If you find you were lost in thought, ask, “Who sees this thought?” Turn attention to become aware of you, the one who is aware of thought.

~ Notice the constant change that occurs in the mind, in emotions and/or in the sensations in the body, and then ask, “What is constant? What is not changing?” Turn attention to become aware of you, that which is constant and unchanging while everything else is changing.

~ Allow yourself to remember a much earlier time in your life, and then ask “What is the ‘I’ that was present then that is also present and completely unchanged now?” In this inquiry, the key is that the ‘I’ you seek is completely unchanged. Your body changed; your mind changed (opinions, education, etc). What is the same and is you?

I recommend practicing Self-inquiry during your 5-minute meditation breaks today. You could practice with different questions during different breaks. Which questions work best for you? Feel free to use other methods of Self-inquiry that you may have heard of. For example Mooji asks, “Can the seer be seen?”

Here is the link to the audio.