I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts.
* Heaven awaits for those who choose to see only God and know that His Son is not alone nor forsaken. He is only confused about his own existence and God’s.
1. The idea for today contains the only way out of fear that will ever succeed. ²Nothing else will work; everything else is meaningless. ³But this way cannot fail. ⁴Every thought you have makes up some segment of the world you see. ⁵It is with your thoughts, then, that we must work, if your perception of the world is to be changed.
2. If the cause of the world you see is attack thoughts, you must learn that it is these thoughts which you do not want. ²There is no point in lamenting the world. ³There is no point in trying to change the world. ⁴It is incapable of change because it is merely an effect. ⁵But there is indeed a point in changing your thoughts about the world. ⁶Here you are changing the cause. ⁷The effect will change automatically.
3. The world you see is a vengeful world, and everything in it is a symbol of vengeance. ²Each of your perceptions of “external reality” is a pictorial representation of your own attack thoughts. ³One can well ask if this can be called seeing. ⁴Is not fantasy a better word for such a process, and hallucination a more appropriate term for the result?
4. You see the world that you have made, but you do not see yourself as the image maker. ²You cannot be saved from the world, but you can escape from its cause. ³This is what salvation means, for where is the world you see when its cause is gone? ⁴Vision already holds a replacement for everything you think you see now. ⁵Loveliness can light your images, and so transform them that you will love them, even though they were made of hate. ⁶For you will not be making them alone.
* “⁵Loveliness can light your images, and so transform them that you will love them, even though they were made of hate.” The Holy Spirit gives us a vision of the world that others will not see until they release The Son from the guilt of belief in separation from God. Be willing to function from your place of vision whatever your circle may be and DO NOT see the errors of the others as if they are real and part of the criteria upon which you should place your behaviors. In other words, follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit regardless if it makes sense or not according to what you have been allowed to see in the workings of the confused mind of the Son.
* As I write this I am thinking of a text I was prompted to write and the fact that I did not because the impression I am getting of how this man thinks is so off in left field that I do not want to put myself in the way of attack. The Holy Spirit seems to be telling me to respond to the prompting and not to the tidal wave of info that seems so contrary to affection and the blessings that the Father wants to give him. It is not my place to judge him or question the Holy Spirit but to be true to who I am as a messenger of the Love of God to His Son. Hmm. Father knows that He is going to have to do this for me because I do not have what it takes to put myself into that situation again. The signs He is sending are pretty big though and I have gotten myself onto safer ground by securing myself in my own place again. (Rather, He got me into a safer place by having me pull up stakes and repositioning me for the duration of this man’s transition during which he has the opportunity to choose to see and share God’s Love instead of hate.) One thing that I know is that I cannot compromise. It is “God or Bust” as I told him before. Not that mistakes are not permitted. Father, help me honor this. (I sent the text.)
5. The idea for today introduces the thought that you are not trapped in the world you see, because its cause can be changed. ²This change requires, first, that the cause be identified and then let go, so that it can be replaced. ³The first two steps in this process require your cooperation. ⁴The final one does not. ⁵Your images have already been replaced. ⁶By taking the first two steps, you will see that this is so.
* “²This change requires, first, that the cause be identified and then let go, so that it can be replaced.” So, I get to see where things are coming from be it from my mind or another’s and then I let go from a healthy distance of the cause and see God’s Vision and Will instead? That is what I am getting at the moment. I see him as the Son of God, who is capable of making a mistake and learning from it, that I know him to be. My healthy distance is because he needs to be willing to see himself as that as well for us to move forward. This is my understanding at this time. In this manner, I might be able to bring God’s Love into the situation that it might perform the miracle needed in this place where it had not been witnessed to before. Hmm. ~ I am reflecting on the Urtext video I made on this part of the text, page 47:
* “Peace is an attribute in YOU. You cannot find it outside. All mental illness is some form of EXTERNAL searching. Mental health is INNER peace. It enables you to remain unshaken by lack of love from without, and capable, through your own miracles of correcting the external conditions, which proceed from the lack of love in others.”
* I am able by trusting the Holy Spirit and keeping an open mind to His Witness of the innocence of the individual to bring God’s Love into focus for myself and the other person instead of angst about perceived errors. Even if it is only in my own heart and mind and reconciliation is not achieved.
6. Besides using it throughout the day as the need arises, five practice periods are required in applying today’s idea. ²As you look about you, repeat the idea slowly to yourself first, and then close your eyes and devote about a minute to searching your mind for as many attack thoughts as occur to you. ³As each one crosses your mind say:
⁴I can escape from the world I see by giving up attack thoughts about _________.
⁵Hold each attack thought in mind as you say this, and then dismiss that thought and go on to the next.
* I trust that the Holy Spirit will continue to allow me to have a more open mind about people.
* Here is a post from someone in one of the chats from the Manual for Teachers in A Course in Miracles that helped me with this understanding.
* “As the projection of guilt upon [the Son of God] would send him to hell, so open-mindedness lets Christ’s image be extended to him.
If I send you to hell, I send me to hell. I can always allow Christ’s image to be extended to everyone with no exceptions.
M-4.IX.2. The centrality of open-mindedness, perhaps the last of the attributes the teacher of God acquires, is easily understood when its relation to forgiveness is recognized. Open-mindedness comes with lack of judgment. As judgment shuts the mind against God’s Teacher, so open-mindedness invites Him to come in. As condemnation judges the Son of God as evil, so open-mindedness permits him to be judged by the Voice for God on His behalf. As the projection of guilt upon him would send him to hell, so open-mindedness lets Christ’s image be extended to him. Only the open-minded can be at peace, for they alone see reason for it.”
7. In the practice periods, be sure to include both your thoughts of attacking and of being attacked. ²Their effects are exactly the same because they are exactly the same. ³You do not recognize this as yet, and you are asked at this time only to treat them as the same in today’s practice periods. ⁴We are still at the stage of identifying the cause of the world you see. ⁵When you finally learn that thoughts of attack and of being attacked are not different, you will be ready to let the cause go.
* “…as yet …” Mind you, I have been on this path for years. I am hoping that I can incorporate the practical side of “letting the cause go” so that I might move forward.
* Let me clarify that. I have let the cause go basically by realizing that we are caught in a dream or illusion of being separated from God which is impossible which allowed me to see God’s Love for His Son and the innocence that we must all be. In attempting to mingle with humanity again I am taking the next step and seeking to let go of the need to hold onto “the cause” of our miscommunication which I would say are behavior patterns developed by fear and guilt. From a safe place (my own apartment) I can attempt to communicate with the Son of God. I suspect that it will take time for me to trust his willingness to let God help us communicate. I feel like I am making no sense at all, and we know that I do not get feedback from y’all and that is fine. I want the Holy Spirit’s feedback and that is what I am trying to relay here.
* My apologies that I cannot be clearer, but I have to move forward from where I am today. Blessings, always, debi.
(ACIM, W-23.1:1–7:5)
Till next time, God bless, debi.
Freedom Principles; At-One-Meant Now 
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