Difference between revisions of "ACIM Workbook Part II - Introduction"
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− | Words will mean little now. We use them but as guides on which we do not | + | [[Words]] will mean little now. We use them but as [[guides]] on which we do not |
− | now depend. For now we seek direct experience of truth alone. The lessons | + | now depend. For now we seek direct [[experience]] of [[truth]] alone. The lessons |
that remain are merely introductions to the times in which we leave the | that remain are merely introductions to the times in which we leave the | ||
− | world of pain, and go to enter peace. Now we begin to reach the goal this | + | world of [[pain]], and go to enter [[peace]]. Now we begin to reach the goal [[ACIM|this |
− | course has set, and find the end toward which our practicing was always | + | course]] has set, and find the end toward which our [[practicing]] was always |
geared. | geared. | ||
Now we attempt to let the exercise be merely a beginning. For we wait in | Now we attempt to let the exercise be merely a beginning. For we wait in | ||
− | quiet expectation for our God and Father. He has promised He will take the | + | [[quiet]] [[expectation]] for our God and Father. He has promised He will take the |
− | final step Himself. And we are sure His promises are kept. We have come | + | final [[step]] Himself. And we are sure His [[promises]] are kept. We have come |
far along the road, and now we wait for Him. We will continue spending | far along the road, and now we wait for Him. We will continue spending | ||
− | time with Him each morning and at night, as long as makes us happy. We | + | time with Him each morning and at night, as long as makes us [[happy]]. We |
− | will not consider time a matter of duration now. We use as much as we will | + | will not consider [[time]] a matter of duration now. We use as much as we will |
need for the result that we desire. Nor will we forget our hourly | need for the result that we desire. Nor will we forget our hourly | ||
− | remembrance in between, calling to God when we have need of Him as we | + | remembrance in between, calling to [[God]] when we have need of Him as we |
− | are tempted to forget our goal. | + | are [[tempted]] to forget our goal. |
− | We will continue with a central thought for all the days to come, and we | + | We will continue with a central [[thought]] for all the days to come, and we |
− | will use that thought to introduce our times of rest, and calm our minds at | + | will use that thought to introduce our times of [[rest]], and calm our [[minds]] at |
need. Yet we will not content ourselves with simple practicing in the | need. Yet we will not content ourselves with simple practicing in the | ||
− | remaining holy | + | remaining [[holy instant]]s which conclude the year that we have given God. |
− | We say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father to reveal | + | We say some [[simple]] words of welcome, and expect [[our Father]] to [[reveal]] |
Himself, as He has promised. We have called on Him, and He has promised | Himself, as He has promised. We have called on Him, and He has promised | ||
that His Son will not remain unanswered when he calls His Name. | that His Son will not remain unanswered when he calls His Name. | ||
− | Now do we come to Him with but His Word upon our minds and hearts, | + | Now do we come to Him with but His Word upon our [[minds]] and [[hearts]], |
− | and wait for Him to take the step to us that He has told us, through His | + | and wait for Him to take the step to us that He has told us, through [[Ta|His |
− | Voice, He would not fail to take when we invited Him. He has not left His | + | Voice]], He would not fail to take when we invited Him. He has not left His |
− | Son in all his madness, nor betrayed his trust in Him. Has not His | + | Son in all his madness, nor [[betrayed]] his [[trust]] in Him. Has not His |
faithfulness earned Him the invitation that He seeks to make us happy? We | faithfulness earned Him the invitation that He seeks to make us happy? We | ||
will offer it, and it will be accepted. So our times with Him will now be | will offer it, and it will be accepted. So our times with Him will now be | ||
Line 35: | Line 35: | ||
wait for Him to come to us. | wait for Him to come to us. | ||
− | Now is the time of prophecy fulfilled. Now are all ancient promises upheld | + | Now is the time of [[prophecy]] fulfilled. Now are all ancient [[promises]] upheld |
and fully kept. No step remains for time to separate from its | and fully kept. No step remains for time to separate from its | ||
− | accomplishment. For now we cannot fail. Sit silently and wait upon your | + | accomplishment. For now we cannot fail. Sit [[silently]] and wait upon [[your |
− | Father. He has willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your | + | Father]]. He has willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your |
will He do so. And you could have never come this far unless you saw, | will He do so. And you could have never come this far unless you saw, | ||
however dimly, that it is your will. | however dimly, that it is your will. | ||
I am so close to you we cannot fail. Father, we give these holy times to | I am so close to you we cannot fail. Father, we give these holy times to | ||
− | You, in gratitude to Him Who taught us how to leave the world of sorrow in | + | You, in [[gratitude]] to Him Who taught us how to leave the world of sorrow in |
exchange for its replacement, given us by You. We look not backward now. | exchange for its replacement, given us by You. We look not backward now. | ||
− | We look ahead, and fix our eyes upon the journey's end. Accept these little | + | We look ahead, and fix our eyes upon the [[journey]]'s end. [[Accept]] these little |
− | gifts of thanks from us, as through Christ's vision we behold a world beyond | + | gifts of thanks from us, as through [[Christ]]'s [[vision]] we behold a world beyond |
the one we made, and take that world to be the full replacement of our own. | the one we made, and take that world to be the full replacement of our own. | ||
− | And now we wait in silence, unafraid and certain of Your coming. We have | + | And now we wait in [[silence]], unafraid and certain of Your coming. We have |
− | sought to find our way by following the Guide You sent to us. We did not | + | sought to find our way by following the [[Guide]] You sent to us. We did not |
know the way, but You did not forget us. And we know that You will not | know the way, but You did not forget us. And we know that You will not | ||
− | forget us now. We ask but that Your ancient promises be kept which are | + | forget us now. We ask but that Your ancient [[promises]] be kept which are |
− | Your Will to keep. We will with You in asking this. The Father and the | + | Your Will to keep. We will with You in asking this. [[The Father]] and [[the |
− | Son, Whose holy Will created all that is, can fail in nothing. In this | + | Son]], Whose holy Will created all that is, can fail in nothing. In this |
− | certainty, we undertake these last few steps to You, and rest in confidence | + | [[certainty]], we undertake these last few steps to You, and rest in [[confidence]] |
upon Your Love, which will not fail the Son who calls to You. | upon Your Love, which will not fail the Son who calls to You. | ||
And so we start upon the final part of this one holy year, which we have | And so we start upon the final part of this one holy year, which we have | ||
− | spent together in the search for truth and God, Who is its one Creator. We | + | spent together in the search for [[truth]] and [[God]], Who is its one [[Creator]]. We |
− | have found the way He chose for us, and made the choice to follow it as He | + | have found the way He chose for us, and made the [[choice]] to follow it as He |
− | would have us go. His Hand has held us up. His Thoughts have lit the | + | would have us go. His Hand has held us up. [[His Thoughts]] have lit the |
− | darkness of our minds. His Love has called to us unceasingly since time | + | darkness of our minds. [[His Love]] has called to us unceasingly since time |
began. | began. | ||
We had a wish that God would fail to have the Son whom He created for | We had a wish that God would fail to have the Son whom He created for | ||
− | Himself. We wanted God to change Himself, and be what we would make | + | Himself. We wanted God to [[change]] Himself, and be what we would make |
− | of Him. And we believed that our insane desires were the truth. Now we are | + | of Him. And we believed that our insane [[desires]] were the [[truth]]. Now we are |
− | glad that this is all undone, and we no longer think illusions true. The | + | glad that this is all undone, and we no longer think [[illusions]] true. The |
− | memory of God is shimmering across the wide horizons of our minds. A | + | [[memory]] of God is shimmering across the wide horizons of our [[minds]]. A |
moment more, and it will rise again. A moment more, and we who are | moment more, and it will rise again. A moment more, and we who are | ||
− | God's Sons are safely home, where He would have us be. | + | God's Sons are safely [[home]], where He would have us be. |
− | Now is the need for practice almost done. For in this final section, we will | + | Now is the need for [[practice]] almost done. For in this final section, we will |
− | come to understand that we need only call to God, and all temptations | + | come to [[understand]] that we need only call to God, and all [[temptations]] |
− | disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His Love. Instead of prayers, | + | disappear. Instead of [[words]], we need but [[feel]] [[His Love]]. Instead of [[prayers]], |
− | we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let | + | we need but call His Name. Instead of [[judging]], we need but be still and let |
− | all things be healed. We will accept the way God's plan will end, as we | + | all things be [[healed]]. We will [[accept]] the way God's plan will end, as we |
− | received the way it started. Now it is complete. This year has brought us to | + | [[received]] the way it started. Now it is complete. This year has brought us to |
− | eternity. | + | [[eternity]]. |
− | One further use for words we still retain. From time to time, instructions on | + | One further use for [[words]] we still retain. From time to time, instructions on |
− | a theme of special relevance will intersperse our daily lessons and the | + | a theme of special [[relevance]] will intersperse our daily lessons and the |
− | periods of wordless, deep experience which should come afterwards. These | + | periods of wordless, deep [[experience]] which should come afterwards. These |
− | special thoughts should be reviewed each day, each one of them to be | + | special [[thoughts]] should be reviewed each day, each one of them to be |
continued till the next is given you. They should be slowly read and thought | continued till the next is given you. They should be slowly read and thought | ||
− | about a little while, preceding one of the holy and blessed instants in the | + | about a little while, preceding one of the holy and [[blessed]] instants in the |
day. We give the first of these instructions now. | day. We give the first of these instructions now. | ||
Line 92: | Line 92: | ||
[[Category: Workbook II]] | [[Category: Workbook II]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Silence]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Experience]] | ||
+ | [[Category: Truth]] |
Latest revision as of 19:21, 1 October 2015
Words will mean little now. We use them but as guides on which we do not now depend. For now we seek direct experience of truth alone. The lessons that remain are merely introductions to the times in which we leave the world of pain, and go to enter peace. Now we begin to reach the goal this course has set, and find the end toward which our practicing was always geared.
Now we attempt to let the exercise be merely a beginning. For we wait in quiet expectation for our God and Father. He has promised He will take the final step Himself. And we are sure His promises are kept. We have come far along the road, and now we wait for Him. We will continue spending time with Him each morning and at night, as long as makes us happy. We will not consider time a matter of duration now. We use as much as we will need for the result that we desire. Nor will we forget our hourly remembrance in between, calling to God when we have need of Him as we are tempted to forget our goal.
We will continue with a central thought for all the days to come, and we will use that thought to introduce our times of rest, and calm our minds at need. Yet we will not content ourselves with simple practicing in the remaining holy instants which conclude the year that we have given God. We say some simple words of welcome, and expect our Father to reveal Himself, as He has promised. We have called on Him, and He has promised that His Son will not remain unanswered when he calls His Name.
Now do we come to Him with but His Word upon our minds and hearts, and wait for Him to take the step to us that He has told us, through His Voice, He would not fail to take when we invited Him. He has not left His Son in all his madness, nor betrayed his trust in Him. Has not His faithfulness earned Him the invitation that He seeks to make us happy? We will offer it, and it will be accepted. So our times with Him will now be spent. We say the words of invitation that His Voice suggests, and then we wait for Him to come to us.
Now is the time of prophecy fulfilled. Now are all ancient promises upheld and fully kept. No step remains for time to separate from its accomplishment. For now we cannot fail. Sit silently and wait upon [[your Father]]. He has willed to come to you when you have recognized it is your will He do so. And you could have never come this far unless you saw, however dimly, that it is your will.
I am so close to you we cannot fail. Father, we give these holy times to You, in gratitude to Him Who taught us how to leave the world of sorrow in exchange for its replacement, given us by You. We look not backward now. We look ahead, and fix our eyes upon the journey's end. Accept these little gifts of thanks from us, as through Christ's vision we behold a world beyond the one we made, and take that world to be the full replacement of our own.
And now we wait in silence, unafraid and certain of Your coming. We have sought to find our way by following the Guide You sent to us. We did not know the way, but You did not forget us. And we know that You will not forget us now. We ask but that Your ancient promises be kept which are Your Will to keep. We will with You in asking this. The Father and [[the Son]], Whose holy Will created all that is, can fail in nothing. In this certainty, we undertake these last few steps to You, and rest in confidence upon Your Love, which will not fail the Son who calls to You.
And so we start upon the final part of this one holy year, which we have spent together in the search for truth and God, Who is its one Creator. We have found the way He chose for us, and made the choice to follow it as He would have us go. His Hand has held us up. His Thoughts have lit the darkness of our minds. His Love has called to us unceasingly since time began.
We had a wish that God would fail to have the Son whom He created for Himself. We wanted God to change Himself, and be what we would make of Him. And we believed that our insane desires were the truth. Now we are glad that this is all undone, and we no longer think illusions true. The memory of God is shimmering across the wide horizons of our minds. A moment more, and it will rise again. A moment more, and we who are God's Sons are safely home, where He would have us be.
Now is the need for practice almost done. For in this final section, we will come to understand that we need only call to God, and all temptations disappear. Instead of words, we need but feel His Love. Instead of prayers, we need but call His Name. Instead of judging, we need but be still and let all things be healed. We will accept the way God's plan will end, as we received the way it started. Now it is complete. This year has brought us to eternity.
One further use for words we still retain. From time to time, instructions on a theme of special relevance will intersperse our daily lessons and the periods of wordless, deep experience which should come afterwards. These special thoughts should be reviewed each day, each one of them to be continued till the next is given you. They should be slowly read and thought about a little while, preceding one of the holy and blessed instants in the day. We give the first of these instructions now.