Today\u2019s lesson begins with the idea that, today, we will be focused on practical application. In the Gentle Healing Curriculum, we have attempted to bring such practicality to our practice of all the ACIM workbook lessons. As we read last week in Hebrews, it is in the practice of what we have learned that spiritual maturity is gained.<\/p>\n
We will focus today on the inherent selfishness of the ego. The ego always thinks of \u2018me\u2019 and \u2018mine.\u2019 Spirit, on the other hand, thinks only of purpose and wholeness. It has a broad perspective, and \u2018me\u2019 is completely unimportant.<\/p>\n
Dropping\u00a0selfishness is challenging. The ego is extremely protective of it. Yet, if you are to know the heart of truth, selfishness must be let go. This lesson, used practically, helps us to let go of that selfishness.<\/p>\n
You must have noticed that when the thinking mind chatters, it chatters about \u201cme.\u201d When meaning is assigned it is related to how this person or event affects \u201cme.\u201d What is valued, is<\/em> valued, because it in someway relates to \u201cme.\u201d<\/p>\n These \u201cme\u201d thoughts actually serve to narrow our vision. These \u201cme\u201d thoughts are inherently thoughts of separation. They are the thoughts that divide \u201cme\u201d from you and that create conflict (let \u201cme\u201d get mine before you get yours). Because these \u201cme\u201d thoughts are grounded in the idea of separation (or duality), they are necessarily thoughts of lack and limitation. If there is a finite amount of anything, I will lose it if given away. In this set up, if you gain, I must lose\u2014unless you are someone with whom I am in special relationship (a spouse, a child, etc.). Then I may perceive your gain as an extension of my own.<\/p>\n Let us note that you will<\/em> find these thoughts in the mind, and<\/em>, you will find that it is these \u201cme\u201d thoughts, or selfish thoughts that, by default, direct your decision making and actions.<\/p>\n We practice letting go of selfish motivation as part of the process of letting go of the belief in the ego self (\u201cme\u201d) as who we are. We begin first by looking to see where I am trying to find the benefit to me in each situation and to manipulate the situation so that, that benefit is gained.<\/p>\n Today\u2019s lesson tells us, \u201cEach choice you make brings everything to you or nothing. Therefore, if you learn the tests by which you can distinguish everything from nothing, you will make the better choice.\u201d So let\u2019s look at the practical \u201ctests\u201d given in this lesson:<\/p>\n It is important to see your choice in any situation as one between ego or heaven and then make that choice using the above criteria.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" LESSON 133. I will not value what is valueless. Today\u2019s lesson begins with the idea that, today, we will be focused on practical application. In the Gentle Healing Curriculum, we have attempted to bring such practicality to our practice of all the ACIM workbook lessons. As we read last week in Hebrews, it is in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":38243,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[122,88],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-41216","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-gentlehealingtips-jpe","8":"category-sidebar","9":"entry"},"yoast_head":"\n\n