Lesson 130:

It is impossible to see two worlds…

Once again the Course is reminding us that there is no compromise between the real and the unreal, between truth and illusion.

Here we have the Miracle ~ the shift in mind to the Holy Spirit’s sight, which see only truth but recognizes illusion fostered by our belief in it. The miracle is the transformative agent that witnesses to the real (vision) beyond the sights we look upon to reinterpret what we believe is there by placing within the mind, one purpose which changes their meaning, which literally changes the way they look. We begin to see past the figures in front of us, as if they as mere shadows had been eclipsing something more substantial that the essence of our vision has already made known to us and we come to this particular place and time just to see it.

We instinctively ‘focus’ now and the figures themselves meld into the inner essence of the truth beckoning the blend…

Perception is changed. Forgiveness shows its face, holding only the essence of the new perception in mind. A calm sense of forgetting what the original judgment or problem was ensues…

Ok, here’s where we tend to get hooked-up; we don’t, or feel we can’t, empty our minds of what seems like proof that what we believe, and therefore see, is what we have to deal with… We lock ourselves in the body identity and although we want another way, we think we have the only and all ingredients so to speak, from which to make another choice…

This perspective grounds us firmly in unreality and literally blinds us to what we can’t conceive of… The Lesson’s commentary begins with a succinct, specific description about the dynamics of perception: “Perception is consistent. What you see reflects your thinking. And your thinking but reflects your choice of what you want to see. Your values are determiners of this, for what you value you must want to see, believing what you see is really there. No one can see a world his mind has not accorded value. And no one can fail to look upon what he believes he wants”…

For so many years I lived in fear, calling it by many names, not being able to really grasp what transformation could be possible in my life, without it. Oh, I wished, I imagined, I even wanted to want badly to have all fear removed. But I simply couldn’t wrap my mind around what I had no construct for.

This is definitely where the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit saves the day…

The early chapters of the Course text speak to the two levels of the mind which the Holy Spirit bridges and careful study of these introductory ideas that yield the possibility of allowing truth be reflected within the constructs available in mind. Check out the section called Fear and Conflict in chapter 2. It is a wonderful assistant in understanding, this dynamic, which makes implementation of today’s lesson increasingly viable…

Here’s the thing; as long as I am under the influence of the mind that believes the dream real, then I see myself as reliant on the figures of the dream and the timeframe of the dream for any change to happen. It is a victim position of ultimate proportions… Yet, as long as I am afraid to see the truth I will continue in this circular thinking of wishing things would be different, really bad… and nothing really changing…

This is not willing with God. It is wishful thinking (which, by the way, is exactly what got us into this so-called world in the first place, duh…)

An analogy that works for me (due to my love/hate relationship with addiction) is that of attempting to perceive clearly while under the influence of separation, drugged by the time space construct, which continues to make us think and question in a manner that is circular. If we can accept the basic premise that the ‘separation/ error’, with all it constructs in time and space, never really occurred, yet we seem to be experiencing it reality, as a case of being ‘drugged’. I think most of us could agree that we have some personal reference to “believing certain things were absolutely true” when given to a little drink or drug or anger or righteousness, or food, (pick your poison), that later we can’t take too seriously, due to the loaded state we were in.

The thing is, we can’t see what the premise we are operating from dictates. Therefore the answer must be outside of the premise.

There is no compromise in this. Believe me, I know.

Any attempt at compromise; to see the ‘beauty’ of this world made up by fear to eclipse the truth, is a decision already made, whether we cop to it or not. Delay in healing has been our choice and wishful thinking replaces the deep certainty and joy that accompany the choice to see the world God gave instead… It is impossible to see two worlds. Let me accept the strength God offers me and see no value in this world, that I may find my freedom and deliverance.

When the temptation to take that first hit off unreality arises, can we take a minute’s pause to remember: It is impossible to see two worlds. I seek my freedom and deliverance, and this is not a part of what I want. Can we empty our minds for just an instant to allow the strength of God to give meaning to our seeing? We allow our wishful thinking, now, to be replaced by the Strength of God, revealing vision… YES! YES! YES!