Today marks the launch of our new blog and podcast series theme, centered around the topic of "vision." We'll kick it off with lesson 15 from A Course in Miracles, a brief yet powerful lesson that we'll revisit throughout the year as we explore the concept of vision.
Lesson 15 reads, “My thoughts are images that I have made,” emphasizing the intriguing idea that the thoughts we conceive manifest as images. The lesson delves into the notion that these thoughts, appearing as images, often go unrecognized as mere illusions. We believe we think these thoughts, and consequently, we perceive them. This process shapes our perception, with our body's eyes serving as creators of images rather than conduits for true seeing, replacing authentic vision with illusions.
Our keyword for the theme this year is "vision." We create images within our body's eyes, placing them before us and mistakenly equating the presence of these manufactured images with genuine sight. This forms a vast illusion, masking true vision. Numerous related ideas emerge, such as the course's frequent discussion of the choice between body identification and spirit identification. To be fixated on the body leads to an illusion, a maze of false confirmations. The body, designed for specific perceptions, excludes a multitude of realities. The Course guides us to shift towards spirit identification, releasing the body's grip on our perception. Everything perceived through our physical eyes is a self-made image replacing authentic vision—an intriguing concept.
It's widely acknowledged that individuals have diverse ways of perceiving things. In a physical sense, one might notice all the red cars while another claims not to have seen a single one—both perspectives are valid. This disparity in perception extends to the spiritual realm, where individual perspectives shape entire realities at a subconscious level.
The next topic, which I hadn't fully grasped until this year during my preparation for study groups, involves what we call "light episodes." These episodes entail seeing our images surrounded by layers of light, suggesting that the images we've created might be obstructing something, and light is gradually seeping into our awareness from the edges of these images. Last week, during our first group call of the month, we delved into the concept of "light episodes," and I began to comprehend it on a fundamental level.
The following day, during my morning fitness walk, I observed the sunrise in the east, where gray clouds were rimmed with light. It struck me as a "God wink." However, the course isn't referring to the literal sunlight on clouds. Instead, it speaks of spiritual light surrounding or creating a rim around an image. We'll encounter these occurrences more frequently, indicating a breakthrough in understanding. Acknowledging the elusive nature of this concept, the lesson itself notes, “A first pass at all of this will not make much sense to people.” Despite engaging with this for nearly 30 years, I only truly comprehended the concept of "light episodes" last week, offering a metaphorical insight into their appearance through the clouds.
The last point for today is from the passage regarding the exercise. It suggests, “Practice the idea for today. Repeat it to yourself and then apply it to your surroundings. Use the name of the object, letting your eyes rest on it as you say, 'This computer is an image I have made. That car is an image I have made. That door is an image I have made.'” This is a practical exercise for this lesson, which is quite insightful. It's worth noting that the previous lesson, lesson 14, had a similar practice but applied to challenging events in the world.
In that context, we affirm that God did not create tragic events, like an airplane crash or the cancer afflicting a friend. Thus, these events are not real. This shift from tragedies to more mundane objects is noteworthy. The Course strategically emphasizes that the images of terror and horror in the world stem from us, not from God.
Without delving into controversy, there's an example involving Rapino, the captain of the US women's soccer team, who suffered an injury in her last game. In a press conference, she questioned the existence of God based on her unfortunate experience. This situation aligns perfectly with our discussion here, emphasizing that the images of what happens to us are just that—images.
Concluding the discussion on this lesson, the exercise proves highly beneficial. If we can engage in it, it enhances our understanding. We're not merely trying to convince ourselves that the computer is an image we created; the ultimate goal is to alleviate suffering. In practical terms, this aligns with a coaching approach I often use. I advise clients to view challenging circumstances as if they were part of a movie—a projection of their thoughts. This perspective encapsulates the concepts we've explored today.
Clients facing difficulties, whether with work, family, or other aspects, can frame their challenges as scenes in their own "horror movie" projected from their minds. Recognizing this allows for experimentation, enabling them to switch mental channels and choose a more positive narrative, akin to a Hallmark movie rather than a horror channel production.
It's crucial to emphasize that applying this tool doesn't involve blaming or shaming the victim. Instead, it serves as a profound spiritual tool, assisting individuals in stepping out of the negative mental channels they find themselves stuck in, regardless of the severity of their challenges.
Now, let's outline today's steps before concluding.
1. Acknowledge complete responsibility for the current situation. This doesn't imply responsibility for abuse endured but recognizes a subconscious setup for suffering.
2. Admit readiness to release suffering without needing to justify or prove its worth. Shift to a reality where suffering dissipates, similar to waking up from a nightmare. No need to dwell on the details of the nightmare; the focus is on choosing to wake up. This process involves deep psychological and spiritual methods for awakening.
3. Be open to embracing a divine replacement – the happy dream instead of the nightmare. This sets the stage for our year-long exploration of the eyes' vision, shaped by illusory images often tied to suffering, versus true vision – spiritual sight rooted in joy, peace, love, and freedom from suffering.
As we progress, we'll delve into various topics step by step, reinforcing the notion of our illusory image-making. Exciting discussions await in the coming year as we follow where spirit leads us on the journey of vision.
