Welcome to Active Meditation.
A Course in Miracles,
Lesson 18.
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
As we prepare for this exercise,
We place our body in a comfortable position and close our eyes.
We will be opening up our eyes again for this exercise.
We relax by noting where the tension is in our body.
And to increase the relaxation,
We remove all expression from our face.
Do all this now.
This is a Course in Miracles.
It is a required course.
Only the time you take it is voluntary.
Some of the ideas the exercises present,
You will find hard to believe,
And others may seem to be quite startling.
This does not matter.
You are merely asked to apply the ideas as you are directed.
You are not asked to judge them at all.
You are asked only to use them.
It is their use that will give them meaning to you and will show you that they are true.
The purpose of the workbook is to train your mind in a systematic way to a different perception of everyone and everything in the world.
This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way.
Nothing real can be threatened.
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
The idea for today is another step in learning.
That the thoughts which give rise to what you see are never neutral or unimportant.
It also emphasizes the idea that minds are joined,
Which will be given increasing stress later on.
This idea does not refer to what you see as much as to how you see it.
Therefore,
The exercises for today emphasize this aspect of your perception.
Once practiced,
Keeping your eyes closed,
Say to yourself,
Say to your mind,
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
Now open your eyes.
Look about you.
Select subjects for the application of the idea for today as randomly as possible.
Keep your eyes on each one long enough to say,
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of how I see.
And then name what you see.
Do this now.
Close your eyes.
Remember,
Thoughts which give rise to what you see are never neutral or unimportant.
All minds are joined.
Today's idea does not refer to what you see as much as to how you see it.
Let's practice once more.
Say to yourself,
Say to your mind,
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
Open your eyes.
Look about you.
Select the subjects for the application of the idea for today as randomly as possible.
Keep your eyes on each one long enough to say,
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of how I see.
Name what you see.
Now be silent while you do this.
Close your eyes.
By each practice period,
By repeating the more general statement,
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
A minute or so or even less will be sufficient.
Three or four practice periods are recommended.
I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing.
Remember only this.
You need not believe the ideas.
You need not accept them.
And you need not even welcome them.
Some of them you may actively resist.
None of this will matter or decrease their efficacy.
But do not allow yourself to make exceptions in applying the ideas the workbook contains.
And whatever your reactions to the ideas may be,
Use them.
Anything more than that is required.
Let's return to our regular level of thought and feeling.
And as we do this,
We know that our personality has made significant progress in becoming a true reflection of our higher self.
Take a few deep breaths.
Return to the waking state.
To time and space.
I am aware there.
I now know.
I am.
Nothing real can be threatened.
Nothing unreal exists.
Herein lies the peace of God.
