I Am: A Course In Miracles (acim)

â?? â?? â?? This HD program and many others, are available for free @ www.OpenandClear.com â?? â?? â?? lesson 61 â??I am the light of the world.â?? Who is the light of the world except Godâ??s Son? This, then, is merely a statement of the truth about yourself. It is the opposite of a statement of pride, of arrogance, or of self-deception. It does not describe the self-concept you have made. It does not refer to any of the characteristics with which you have endowed your idols. It refers to you as you were created by God. It simply states the truth. To the ego, todayâ??s idea is the epitome of self-glorification. But the ego does not understand humility, mistaking it for self- debasement. Humility consists of accepting your role in salvation, and in taking no other. It is not humility to insist that you cannot be the light of the world, if that is the function God assigned to you. It is only arrogance that would assert this function cannot be for you, and arrogance is always of the ego. True humility r

lesson 60 These ideas are for todayâ??s review: [46] â??God is the Love in which I forgive.â?? God does not forgive because He has never condemned. The blameless cannot blame, and those who have accepted their innocence see nothing to forgive.Yet forgiveness is the means by which I will recognize my innocence. It is the reflection of Godâ??s Love on earth. It will bring me near enough to Heaven that the Love of God can reach down to me and raise me to my home. [47] â??God is the Strength in which I trust.â?? It is not my own strength through which I forgive. It is through the strength of God in me, which I am remembering as I forgive. As I begin to see, I recognize His reflection on earth. I forgive all things because I feel the stirring of His strength in me. And I begin to remember the Love I chose to forget, but Which has not forgotten me. [48] â??There is nothing to fear.â?? How safe the world will look to me when I can see it! It will not look anything like what I imagine I see now. Everyone and e

lesson 59 The following ideas are for review today: [41] â??God goes with me wherever I go.â?? How can I be alone when God always goes with me? How can I be doubtful and unsure of myself when perfect certainty abides in Him? How can I be disturbed by anything when He rests in me in absolute peace? How can I suffer when love and joy surround me through Him? Let me not cherish illusions about myself. I am perfect because God goes with me wherever I go. [42] â??God is my strength.Vision is His gift.â?? Let me not look to my own eyes to see today. Let me be willing to exchange my pitiful illusion of seeing for the vision that is given by God. Christâ??s vision is His gift, and He has given it to me. Let me call upon this gift today, so that this day may help me to understand eternity. [43] â??God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.â?? I can see what God wants me to see. I cannot see anything else. Beyond His Will lie only illusions. It is these I choose when I think I can see apart from Him. It is t

lesson 58 These ideas are for review today: [36] â??My holiness envelops everything I see.â?? From my holiness does the perception of the real world come. Having forgiven, I no longer see myself as guilty. I can accept the innocence that is the truth about me. Seen through understanding eyes the holiness of the world is all I see, for I can picture only the thoughts I hold about myself. [37] â??My holiness blesses the world.â?? The perception of my holiness does not bless me alone. Everyone and everything I see in its light shares in the joy it brings to me. There is nothing that is apart from this joy, because there is nothing that does not share my holiness. As I recognize my holiness, so does the holiness of the world shine forth for everyone to see. [38] â??There is nothing my holiness cannot do.â?? My holiness is unlimited in its power to heal, because it is unlimited in its power to save.What is there to be saved from except illusions? And what are all illusions except false ideas about myself? M

lesson 57 Today let us review these ideas: [31] â??I am not the victim of the world I see.â?? How can I be the victim of a world that can be completely undone if I so choose? My chains are loosened. I can drop them off merely by desiring to do so. The prison door is open. I can leave it simply by walking out. Nothing holds me in this world. Only my wish to stay keeps me a prisoner. I would give up insane wishes, and walk into the sunlight at last. [32] â??I have invented the world I see.â?? I made up the prison in which I see myself.All I need do is recognize this, and I am free. I have deluded myself into believing it is possible to imprison the Son of God. I was bitterly mistaken in this belief, which I no longer want.The Son of God must be forever free. He is as God created him, and not what I would make of him. He is where God would have him be, and not where I thought to hold him prisoner. [33] â??There is another way of looking at the world.â?? Since the purpose of the world is not the one I asc

lesson 56 Our review for today covers the following: [26] â??My attack thoughts are attacking my invulnerability.â?? How can I know who I am when I see myself as under constant attack? Pain, illness, loss, age and death seem to threaten me. All my hopes and wishes and plans appear to be at the mercy of a world I cannot control.Yet perfect security and complete fulfillment are my inheritance. I have tried to give my inheritance away in exchange for the world I see. But God has kept my inheritance safe for me. My own real thoughts will teach me what it is. [27] â??Above all else I want to see.â?? Recognizing that what I see reflects what I think I am, I realize that vision is my greatest need.The world I see attests to the fearful nature of the self-image I have made. If I would remember who I am, it is essential that I let this image of myself go.As it is replaced by truth, vision will surely be given me.And with this vision I will look upon the world and upon myself with charity and love. [28] â??Above

lesson 55 Todayâ??s review includes the following: [21] â??I am determined to see things differently.â?? What I see now are but signs of disease, disaster and death. This cannot be what God created for His beloved Son.The very fact that I see such things is proof that I do not understand God.Therefore I also do not understand His Son.What I see tells me that I do not know who I am. I am determined to see the witnesses to the truth in me, rather than those which show me an illusion of myself. [22] â??What I see is a form of vengeance.â?? The world I see is hardly the representation of loving thoughts. It is a picture of attack on everything and by everything. It is anything but a reflection of the Love of God and the love of His Son. It is my own attack thoughts which give rise to this picture. My loving thoughts will save me from this perception of the world, and give me the peace God intended me to have. [23] â??I can escape from the world by giving up attack thoughts.â?? Herein lies my salvation, and

lesson 54 These are the review ideas for today: [16] â??I have no neutral thoughts.â?? Neutral thoughts are impossible because all thoughts have power. They will either make a false world or lead me to the real one. But thoughts cannot be without effects.As the world I see arises from my thinking errors, so will the real world rise before my eyes as I let my errors be corrected. My thoughts cannot be neither true nor false. They must be one or the other.What I see shows me which they are. [17] â??I see no neutral things.â?? What I see witnesses to what I think. If I did not think I would not exist, because life is thought. Let me look on the world as the representation of my own state of mind. I know that my state of mind can change.And so I also know the world I see can change as well. [18] â??I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.â?? If I have no private thoughts, I cannot see a private world. Even the mad idea of separation had to be shared before it could form the basis of the wor

lesson 53 Today we will review the following: [11] â??My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.â?? Since the thoughts of which I am aware do not mean anything, the world which pictures them can have no meaning.What is producing this world is insane, and so is what it produces. Reality is not insane, and I have real thoughts as well as insane ones. I can therefore see a real world, if I look to my real thoughts as my guide for seeing. [12] â??I am upset because I see a meaningless world.â?? Insane thoughts are upsetting, they produce a world in which there is no order anywhere. Only chaos rules a world which represents chaotic thinking, and chaos has no laws. I cannot live in peace in such a world. I am grateful that this world is not real, and that I need not see it at all unless I choose to value it. And I do not choose to value what is totally insane and has no meaning. [13] â??A meaningless world engenders fear.â?? The totally insane engenders fear because it is completely undependa

lesson 52 Todayâ??s review covers these ideas: [6] â??I am upset because I see what is not there.â?? Reality is never frightening. It is impossible that it could upset me. Reality brings only perfect peace. When I am upset, it is always because I have replaced reality with illusions which I made up.The illusions are upsetting because I have given them reality, and thus regard reality as an illusion. Nothing in Godâ??s creation is affected in any way by this confusion of mine. I am always upset by nothing. [7] â??I see only the past.â?? As I look about, I condemn the world I look upon. I call this seeing. I hold the past against everyone and everything, making them my â??enemies.â??When I have forgiven myself and remembered who I am, I will bless everyone and everything I see.There will be no past, and therefore no â??enemies.â?? And I will look with God on all that I failed to see before. [8] â??My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.â?? I see only my own thoughts, and my mind is preoccupied with th

lesson 51 The review for today covers the following ideas: [1] â??Nothing I see means anything.â?? The reason this is so is that I see nothing, and nothing has no meaning. It is necessary that I recognize this, that I may learn to see. What I think I see now is taking the place of vision. I must let it go by realizing that it has no meaning so that vision may take its place. [2] â??I have given what I see all the meaning it has for me.â?? I have judged everything I look upon.And it is this and only this that I see.This is not vision. It is merely an illusion of reality, because my judgements have been made quite apart from reality. I am willing to recognize the lack of validity in my judgements, because I want to see. My judgements have hurt me, and I do not want to see according to them. [3] â??I do not understand anything I see.â?? How could I understand what I see when I have judged it amiss? What I see is the projection of my own errors of thought. I do not understand what I see because it is not u

lesson 50 â??I am sustained by the Love of God.â?? Here is the answer to every problem that confronts you today and tomorrow and throughout time. In this world, you believe you are sustained by everything but God.Your faith is placed in the most trivial and insane symbols; pills, money, â??protectiveâ?? clothing, â??influence,â?? â??prestige,â?? being liked, knowing the â??rightâ?? people, and an endless list of forms of nothingness which you endow with magical powers.All these things are your replacements for the Love of God. All these things are cherished to ensure a body identification.They are songs of praise to the ego. Do not put your faith in the worthless. It will not sustain you. Only the Love of God will protect you in all circumstances. It will lift you out of every trial, and raise you high above all the perceived dangers of this world into a climate of perfect peace and safety. It will transport you into a state of mind which nothing can threaten, nothing can disturb, and nothing can intrude u

lesson 49 â??Godâ??s Voice speaks to me all through the day.â?? It is quite possible to listen to Godâ??s Voice all day without interrupting your regular activities in any way.The part of your mind in which truth abides is in constant communication with God, whether you are aware of it or not. It is the other part of your mind that functions in the world and obeys the worldâ??s laws. It is this part which is constantly distracted, disorganized, and highly uncertain. The part that is listening to the Voice of God is calm, always at rest and wholly certain. It is really the only part there is. The other part is a wild illusion, frantic and distraught, but without reality of any kind.Try today not to listen to it.Try to identify with the part of your mind where stillness and peace reign forever.Try to hear Godâ??s Voice call to you lovingly, reminding you that your Creator has not forgotten His Son. We will need at least four five-minute practice periods today, and more if possible.We will try actually

lesson 48 �¢??There is nothing to fear.�¢?? The idea for today simply states a fact. It is not a fact to those who believe in illusions, but illusions are not facts. In truth there is nothing to fear. It is very easy to recognize this. But it is very difficult to recognize for those who want illusions to be true. Today�¢??s practice periods will be very short, very simple, and very frequent. Merely repeat the idea as often as possible.You can use it with your eyes open at any time and in any situation. It is strongly recommended, however, that you take a minute or so whenever possible to close your eyes and repeat the idea slowly to yourself several times. It is particularly important that you use the idea immediately should anything disturb your peace of mind. The presence of fear is a sure sign that you are trusting in your own strength.The awareness that there is nothing to fear shows that somewhere in your mind, not necessarily in a place which you recognize as yet, you have remembered God and l

lesson 47 â??God is the Strength in which I trust.â?? If you are trusting your own strength, you have every reason to be apprehensive, anxious, and fearful. What can you predict or control? What is there in you that can be counted on? What would give you the ability to be aware of all the facets of any problem, and to resolve them in such a way that only good can come of it? What is there in you that gives you the recognition of the right solution, and the guarantee that it will be accomplished? Of yourself you can do none of these things.To believe that you can is to put your trust where trust is unwarranted, and to justify fear, anxiety, depression, anger, and sorrow.Who can put his faith in weakness and feel safe? Yet who can put his faith in strength and feel weak? God is your safety in every circumstance. His Voice speaks for Him in all situations and in every aspect of all situations, telling you exactly what to do to call upon His strength and His protection. There are no exceptions because God has

lesson 46 â??God is the Love in which I forgive.â?? God does not forgive because He has never condemned.And there must be condemnation before forgiveness is necessary. Forgiveness is the great need of this world, but that is because it is a world of illusions. Those who forgive are thus releasing themselves from illusions, while those who withhold forgiveness are binding themselves to them. As you condemn only yourself, so do you forgive only yourself. Although God does not forgive, His Love is nevertheless the basis of forgiveness. Fear condemns and love forgives. Forgiveness thus undoes what fear has produced, returning the mind to the awareness of God. For this reason, forgiveness can truly be called salvation. It is the means by which illusions disappear. Todayâ??s exercises require at least three full five-minute practice periods, and as many shorter applications as possible. Begin the practice periods by repeating todayâ??s idea to yourself, as usual. Close your eyes as you do so, and spend a minute

lesson 45 â??God is the Mind with which I think.â?? Todayâ??s idea holds the key to what your real thoughts are.They are nothing that you think you think, just as nothing that you think you see is related to vision in any way.There is no relationship between what is real and what you think is real. Nothing that you think are your real thoughts resemble your real thoughts in any respect. Nothing that you think you see bears any resemblance to what vision will show you. You think with the Mind of God. Therefore you share your thoughts with Him, as He shares His with you. They are the same thoughts because they are thought by the same Mind.To share is to make alike, or to make one. Nor do the thoughts you think with the Mind of God leave your mind, because thoughts do not leave their source.Therefore your thoughts are in the Mind of God, as you are. They are in your mind as well, where He is. As you are part of His Mind, so are your thoughts part of His Thoughts. Where, then, are your real thoughts? Today we

lesson 44 â??God is the Light in which I see.â?? Today we are continuing with the idea for yesterday, adding another dimension to it.You cannot see in darkness, and you cannot make light.You can make darkness and then think you see in it, but light reflects life, and is therefore an aspect of creation. Creation and darkness cannot coexist, but light and life must go together, being but different aspects of creation. In order to see, one must recognize that light is within, not without.You do not see outside yourself. Nor is the equipment for seeing outside you. An essential part of this equipment is the light that makes seeing possible. It is with you always, making vision possible in every circumstance. Today we are going to attempt to reach that light. For that purpose, we will use a form of practice which has been suggested once before, and which we will utilize increasingly. It is a particularly difficult form for the undisciplined mind because it represents a major goal of mind training. It embodies

lesson 43 â??God is my Source. I cannot see apart from Him.â?? Perception is not an attribute of God. His is the realm of knowledge. Yet He has created the Holy Spirit as the Mediator between perception and knowledge. Without this link with God, perception would have replaced knowledge forever in your minds.With this link with God, perception will become so changed and purified that it will lead to knowledge.That is its function as the Holy Spirit sees it. Therefore, that is its function in truth. In God you cannot see. Perception has no function in God, and does not exist.Yet in salvation, which is the undoing of what never was, perception has a mighty purpose. Made by the Son of God for an unholy purpose, it must become the means for the restoration of his holiness to his awareness. Perception has no meaning.Yet does the Holy Spirit give it a meaning very close to Godâ??s. Healed perception becomes the means by which the Son of God forgives his brother and thus forgives himself. You cannot see apart fro

lesson 42 â??God is my strength.Vision is His gift.â?? The idea for today combines two very powerful thoughts, both of major importance. It also sets forth a cause and effect relationship which explains why you cannot fail in your efforts to achieve the goal of the course.You will see because it is the Will of God. It is His strength, not your own, that gives you power. And it is His gift to you, rather than your own, which offers vision to you. God is indeed your strength.And what He gives is truly given. This means that you can receive it any time and anywhere, wherever you are and in whatever circumstances you find yourself. Your passage through time and space is not random.You cannot but be in the right place at the right time. Such is the strength of God. Such are His gifts. We will have two three-to-five-minute longer exercise periods today, one as soon as possible after you wake, and another as close as possible to the time you go to sleep. It is better, however, to wait until you can sit quietly