Difference between revisions of "ACIM Workbook - Lesson 136"
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| − | Sickness is a defense against the truth. | + | [[Sickness]] is a [[defense]] against the [[truth]]. |
| − | No one can heal unless he understands what purpose sickness seems to | + | No one can [[heal]] unless he [[understands]] what [[purpose]] sickness seems to |
| − | serve. For then he understands as well its purpose has no meaning. Being | + | serve. For then he understands as well its purpose has no [[meaning]]. Being |
| − | causeless and without a meaningful intent of any kind, it cannot be at all. | + | causeless and without a meaningful [[intent]] of any kind, it cannot be at all. |
| − | When this is seen, healing is automatic. It dispels this meaningless illusion | + | When this is seen, healing is [[automatic]]. It dispels this meaningless [[illusion]] |
by the same approach that carries all of them to truth, and merely leaves | by the same approach that carries all of them to truth, and merely leaves | ||
them there to disappear. | them there to disappear. | ||
| − | Sickness is not an accident. Like all defenses, it is an insane device for self- | + | Sickness is not an [[accident]]. Like all defenses, it is an [[insane]] device for [[self]]- |
| − | deception. And like all the rest, its purpose is to hide reality, attack it, | + | [[deception]]. And like all the rest, its purpose is to hide [[reality]], [[attack]] it, |
| − | change it, render it inept, distort it, twist it, or reduce it to a little pile of | + | [[change]] it, render it inept, [[distort]] it, twist it, or reduce it to a little pile of |
unassembled parts. The aim of all defenses is to keep the truth from being | unassembled parts. The aim of all defenses is to keep the truth from being | ||
| − | whole. The parts are seen as if each one were whole within itself. | + | whole. The [[parts]] are seen as if each one were whole within itself. |
| − | Defenses are not unintentional, nor are they made without awareness. They | + | [[Defenses]] are not unintentional, nor are they made without [[awareness]]. They |
| − | are secret, magic wands you wave when truth appears to threaten what you | + | are [[secret]], magic [[wands]] you wave when truth appears to threaten what you |
| − | would believe. They seem to be unconscious but because of the rapidity | + | would [[believe]]. They seem to be [[unconscious]] but because of the rapidity |
| − | with which you choose to use them. In that second, even less, in which the | + | with which you [[choose]] to use them. In that second, even less, in which the |
choice is made, you recognize exactly what you would attempt to do, and | choice is made, you recognize exactly what you would attempt to do, and | ||
then proceed to think that it is done. | then proceed to think that it is done. | ||
| − | Who but yourself evaluates a threat, decides escape is necessary, and sets up | + | Who but yourself [[evaluates]] a threat, [[decides]] [[escape]] is [[necessary]], and sets up |
a series of defenses to reduce the threat that has been judged as real? All | a series of defenses to reduce the threat that has been judged as real? All | ||
this cannot be done unconsciously. But afterwards, your plan requires that | this cannot be done unconsciously. But afterwards, your plan requires that | ||
| − | you must forget you made it, so it seems to be external to your own intent; a | + | you must forget you made it, so it seems to be external to your own [[intent]]; a |
| − | happening beyond your state of mind, an outcome with a real effect on you, | + | happening beyond your state of [[mind]], an outcome with a real effect on you, |
instead of one effected by yourself. | instead of one effected by yourself. | ||
| − | It is this quick forgetting of the part you play in making your "reality" that | + | It is this quick forgetting of the part you play in making your "[[reality]]" that |
| − | makes defenses seem to be beyond your own control. But what you have | + | makes defenses seem to be beyond your own [[control]]. But what you have |
| − | forgot can be remembered, given willingness to reconsider the decision | + | forgot can be remembered, given willingness to reconsider the [[decision]] |
| − | which is doubly shielded by oblivion. Your not remembering is but the sign | + | which is doubly shielded by [[oblivion]]. Your not remembering is but the [[sign]] |
| − | that this decision still remains in force, as far as your desires are concerned. | + | that this decision still remains in force, as far as your [[desires]] are concerned. |
| − | Mistake not this for fact. Defenses must make facts unrecognizable. They | + | Mistake not this for [[fact]]. Defenses must make facts unrecognizable. They |
aim at doing this, and it is this they do. | aim at doing this, and it is this they do. | ||
| − | Every defense takes fragments of the whole, assembles them without regard | + | Every [[defense]] takes fragments of [[the whole]], assembles them without regard |
| − | to all their true relationships, and thus constructs illusions of a whole that is | + | to all their true [[relationships]], and thus constructs [[illusions]] of a whole that is |
| − | not there. It is this process that imposes threat, and not whatever outcome | + | not there. It is this [[process]] that imposes threat, and not whatever outcome |
| − | may result. When parts are wrested from the whole and seen as separate and | + | may result. When parts are wrested from the whole and seen as [[separate]] and |
| − | wholes within themselves, they become symbols standing for attack upon | + | wholes within themselves, they become [[symbols]] standing for attack upon |
| − | the whole; successful in effect, and never to be seen as whole again. And | + | the whole; successful in [[effect]], and never to be seen as whole again. And |
yet you have forgotten that they stand but for your own decision of what | yet you have forgotten that they stand but for your own decision of what | ||
should be real, to take the place of what is real. | should be real, to take the place of what is real. | ||
| − | Sickness is a decision. It is not a thing that happens to you, quite unsought, | + | Sickness is a [[decision]]. It is not a thing that happens to you, quite unsought, |
| − | which makes you weak and brings you suffering. It is a choice you make, a | + | which makes you [[weak]] and brings you [[suffering]]. It is a choice you make, a |
| − | plan you lay, when for an instant truth arises in your own deluded mind, and | + | plan you lay, when for an instant truth arises in your own [[deluded]] [[mind]], and |
all your world appears to totter and prepare to fall. Now are you sick, that | all your world appears to totter and prepare to fall. Now are you sick, that | ||
truth may go away and threaten your establishments no more. | truth may go away and threaten your establishments no more. | ||
| − | How do you think that sickness can succeed in shielding you from truth? | + | How do you think that sickness can succeed in shielding you from [[truth]]? |
| − | Because it proves the body is not separate from you, and so you must be | + | Because it proves the [[body]] is not separate from you, and so you must be |
| − | separate from the truth. You suffer pain because the body does, and in this | + | separate from the truth. You suffer [[pain]] because the body does, and in this |
| − | pain are you made one with it. Thus is your "true" identity preserved, and | + | pain are you made one with it. Thus is your "true" [[identity]] preserved, and |
| − | the strange, haunting thought that you might be something beyond this little | + | the strange, [[haunting]] thought that you might be something beyond this little |
| − | pile of dust silenced and stilled. For see, this dust can make you suffer, twist | + | pile of dust [[silenced]] and stilled. For see, this dust can make you suffer, twist |
| − | your limbs and stop your heart, commanding you to die and cease to be. | + | your limbs and stop your [[heart]], commanding you to die and cease to be. |
| − | Thus is the body stronger than the truth, which asks you live, but cannot | + | Thus is the [[body]] stronger than the truth, which asks you live, but cannot |
| − | overcome your choice to die. And so the body is more powerful than | + | overcome your [[choice]] to die. And so the body is more powerful than |
| − | everlasting life, Heaven more frail than hell, and God's design for the | + | everlasting [[life]], [[Heaven]] more frail than [[hell]], and God's design for the |
| − | salvation of His Son opposed by a decision stronger than His Will. His Son | + | [[salvation]] of His Son opposed by a decision stronger than His Will. His Son |
| − | is dust, the Father incomplete, and chaos sits in triumph on His throne. | + | is dust, [[the Father]] incomplete, and chaos sits in triumph on His throne. |
| − | Such is your planning for your own defense. And you believe that Heaven | + | Such is your planning for your own [[defense]]. And you believe that [[Heaven]] |
| − | quails before such mad attacks as these, with God made blind by your | + | quails before such mad [[attacks]] as these, with God made [[blind]] by your |
| − | illusions, truth turned into lies, and all the universe made slave to laws | + | [[illusions]], truth turned into [[lies]], and all [[the universe]] made [[slave]] to laws |
which your defenses would impose on it. Yet who believes illusions but the | which your defenses would impose on it. Yet who believes illusions but the | ||
one who made them up? Who else can see them and react to them as if they | one who made them up? Who else can see them and react to them as if they | ||
were the truth? | were the truth? | ||
| − | God knows not of your plans to change His Will. The universe remains | + | God knows not of your plans to change [[His Will]]. [[The universe]] remains |
| − | unheeding of the laws by which you thought to govern it. And Heaven has | + | unheeding of the [[laws]] by which you thought to [[govern]] it. And [[Heaven]] has |
| − | not bowed to hell, nor life to death. You can but choose to think you die, or | + | not bowed to [[hell]], nor [[life]] to [[death]]. You can but choose to think you die, or |
| − | suffer sickness or distort the truth in any way. What is created is apart from | + | suffer sickness or [[distort]] the [[truth]] in any way. What is created is apart from |
| − | all of this. Defenses are plans to defeat what cannot be attacked. What is | + | all of this. Defenses are plans to [[defeat]] what cannot be attacked. What is |
| − | unalterable cannot change. And what is wholly sinless cannot sin. | + | unalterable cannot [[change]]. And what is wholly sinless cannot [[sin]]. |
| − | Such is the simple truth. It does not make appeal to might nor triumph. It | + | Such is the simple truth. It does not make [[appeal]] to might nor triumph. It |
| − | does not command obedience, nor seek to prove how pitiful and futile your | + | does not command [[obedience]], nor seek to prove how pitiful and futile your |
attempts to plan defenses that would alter it. Truth merely wants to give you | attempts to plan defenses that would alter it. Truth merely wants to give you | ||
| − | happiness, for such its purpose is. Perhaps it sighs a little when you throw | + | [[happiness]], for such its [[purpose]] is. Perhaps it sighs a little when you throw |
| − | away its gifts, and yet it knows, with perfect certainty, that what God wills | + | away its gifts, and yet it knows, with perfect [[certainty]], that what God wills |
| − | for you must be received. | + | for you must be [[received]]. |
| − | It is this fact that demonstrates that time is an illusion. For time lets you | + | It is this fact that [[demonstrates]] that [[time]] is an [[illusion]]. For time lets you |
think what God has given you is not the truth right now, as it must be. The | think what God has given you is not the truth right now, as it must be. The | ||
| − | Thoughts of God are quite apart from time. For time is but another | + | [[Thoughts of God]] are quite apart from time. For time is but another |
meaningless defense you made against the truth. Yet what He wills is here, | meaningless defense you made against the truth. Yet what He wills is here, | ||
and you remain as He created you. | and you remain as He created you. | ||
| − | Truth has a power far beyond defense, for no illusions can remain where | + | [[Truth]] has a [[power]] far beyond [[defense]], for no [[illusions]] can remain where |
| − | truth has been allowed to enter. And it comes to any mind that would lay | + | truth has been allowed to enter. And it comes to any [[mind]] that would lay |
| − | down its arms, and cease to play with folly. It is found at any time; today, if | + | down its arms, and cease to [[play]] with [[folly]]. It is found at any time; today, if |
| − | you will choose to practice giving welcome to the truth. | + | you will choose to [[practice]] giving welcome to the truth. |
This is our aim today. And we will give a quarter of an hour twice to ask the | This is our aim today. And we will give a quarter of an hour twice to ask the | ||
| − | truth to come to us and set us free. And truth will come, for it has never | + | [[truth]] to come to us and set us free. And truth will come, for it has never |
been apart from us. It merely waits for just this invitation which we give | been apart from us. It merely waits for just this invitation which we give | ||
| − | today. We introduce it with a healing prayer, to help us rise above | + | today. We introduce it with a [[healing]] [[prayer]], to help us rise above |
defensiveness, and let truth be as it has always been: | defensiveness, and let truth be as it has always been: | ||
| − | <center>''Sickness is a defense against the truth.''</center> | + | <center>''Sickness is a defense against the [[truth]].''</center> |
| − | <center>''I will accept the truth of what I am,''</center> | + | <center>''I will [[accept]] the truth of what I am,''</center> |
| − | <center>''and let my mind be wholly healed today.''</center> | + | <center>''and let my [[mind]] be wholly healed today.''</center> |
| − | Healing will flash across your open mind, as peace and truth arise to take | + | [[Healing]] will flash across your open [[mind]], as [[peace]] and truth arise to take |
| − | the place of war and vain imaginings. There will be no dark corners | + | the place of [[war]] and vain imaginings. There will be no [[dark]] corners |
| − | sickness can conceal, and keep defended from the light of truth. There will | + | sickness can [[conceal]], and keep defended from the [[light]] of truth. There will |
| − | be no dim figures from your dreams, nor their obscure and meaningless | + | be no dim figures from your [[dreams]], nor their obscure and meaningless |
| − | pursuits with double purposes insanely sought, remaining in your mind. It | + | pursuits with double purposes insanely sought, remaining in [[your mind]]. It |
| − | will be healed of all the sickly wishes that it tried to authorize the body to | + | will be healed of all the sickly wishes that it tried to authorize the [[body]] to |
| − | obey. | + | [[obey]]. |
| − | Now is the body healed, because the source of sickness has been opened to | + | Now is the body healed, because the [[source]] of sickness has been opened to |
| − | relief. And you will recognize you practiced well by this: The body should | + | relief. And you will recognize you [[practiced]] well by this: The body should |
| − | not feel at all. If you have been successful, there will be no sense of feeling | + | not [[feel]] at all. If you have been successful, there will be no sense of feeling |
| − | ill or feeling well, of pain or pleasure. No response at all is in the mind to | + | ill or feeling well, of [[pain]] or [[pleasure]]. No response at all is in the mind to |
what the body does. Its usefulness remains and nothing more. | what the body does. Its usefulness remains and nothing more. | ||
| − | Perhaps you do not realize that this removes the limits you had placed upon | + | Perhaps you do not realize that this removes the [[limits]] you had placed upon |
| − | the body by the purposes you gave to it. As these are laid aside, the strength | + | the body by the [[purposes]] you gave to it. As these are laid aside, the [[strength]] |
the body has will always be enough to serve all truly useful purposes. The | the body has will always be enough to serve all truly useful purposes. The | ||
| − | body's health is fully guaranteed, because it is not limited by time, by | + | body's [[health]] is fully guaranteed, because it is not limited by time, by |
| − | weather or fatigue, by food and drink, or any laws you made it serve before. | + | [[weather]] or [[fatigue]], by food and drink, or any laws you made it serve before. |
You need do nothing now to make it well, for sickness has become | You need do nothing now to make it well, for sickness has become | ||
impossible. | impossible. | ||
| − | Yet this protection needs to be preserved by careful watching. If you let | + | Yet this [[protection]] needs to be preserved by careful watching. If you let |
| − | your mind harbor attack thoughts, yield to judgment or make plans against | + | [[your mind]] harbor [[attack]] [[thoughts]], yield to [[judgment]] or make plans against |
uncertainties to come, you have again misplaced yourself, and made a | uncertainties to come, you have again misplaced yourself, and made a | ||
| − | bodily identity which will attack the body, for the mind is sick. | + | bodily [[identity]] which will attack the body, for the mind is sick. |
Give instant remedy, should this occur, by not allowing your defensiveness | Give instant remedy, should this occur, by not allowing your defensiveness | ||
| − | to hurt you longer. Do not be confused about what must be healed, but tell | + | to [[hurt]] you longer. Do not be confused about what must be healed, but tell |
yourself: | yourself: | ||
Latest revision as of 21:06, 17 August 2015
Sickness is a defense against the truth.
No one can heal unless he understands what purpose sickness seems to serve. For then he understands as well its purpose has no meaning. Being causeless and without a meaningful intent of any kind, it cannot be at all. When this is seen, healing is automatic. It dispels this meaningless illusion by the same approach that carries all of them to truth, and merely leaves them there to disappear.
Sickness is not an accident. Like all defenses, it is an insane device for self- deception. And like all the rest, its purpose is to hide reality, attack it, change it, render it inept, distort it, twist it, or reduce it to a little pile of unassembled parts. The aim of all defenses is to keep the truth from being whole. The parts are seen as if each one were whole within itself.
Defenses are not unintentional, nor are they made without awareness. They are secret, magic wands you wave when truth appears to threaten what you would believe. They seem to be unconscious but because of the rapidity with which you choose to use them. In that second, even less, in which the choice is made, you recognize exactly what you would attempt to do, and then proceed to think that it is done.
Who but yourself evaluates a threat, decides escape is necessary, and sets up a series of defenses to reduce the threat that has been judged as real? All this cannot be done unconsciously. But afterwards, your plan requires that you must forget you made it, so it seems to be external to your own intent; a happening beyond your state of mind, an outcome with a real effect on you, instead of one effected by yourself.
It is this quick forgetting of the part you play in making your "reality" that makes defenses seem to be beyond your own control. But what you have forgot can be remembered, given willingness to reconsider the decision which is doubly shielded by oblivion. Your not remembering is but the sign that this decision still remains in force, as far as your desires are concerned. Mistake not this for fact. Defenses must make facts unrecognizable. They aim at doing this, and it is this they do.
Every defense takes fragments of the whole, assembles them without regard to all their true relationships, and thus constructs illusions of a whole that is not there. It is this process that imposes threat, and not whatever outcome may result. When parts are wrested from the whole and seen as separate and wholes within themselves, they become symbols standing for attack upon the whole; successful in effect, and never to be seen as whole again. And yet you have forgotten that they stand but for your own decision of what should be real, to take the place of what is real.
Sickness is a decision. It is not a thing that happens to you, quite unsought, which makes you weak and brings you suffering. It is a choice you make, a plan you lay, when for an instant truth arises in your own deluded mind, and all your world appears to totter and prepare to fall. Now are you sick, that truth may go away and threaten your establishments no more.
How do you think that sickness can succeed in shielding you from truth? Because it proves the body is not separate from you, and so you must be separate from the truth. You suffer pain because the body does, and in this pain are you made one with it. Thus is your "true" identity preserved, and the strange, haunting thought that you might be something beyond this little pile of dust silenced and stilled. For see, this dust can make you suffer, twist your limbs and stop your heart, commanding you to die and cease to be.
Thus is the body stronger than the truth, which asks you live, but cannot overcome your choice to die. And so the body is more powerful than everlasting life, Heaven more frail than hell, and God's design for the salvation of His Son opposed by a decision stronger than His Will. His Son is dust, the Father incomplete, and chaos sits in triumph on His throne.
Such is your planning for your own defense. And you believe that Heaven quails before such mad attacks as these, with God made blind by your illusions, truth turned into lies, and all the universe made slave to laws which your defenses would impose on it. Yet who believes illusions but the one who made them up? Who else can see them and react to them as if they were the truth?
God knows not of your plans to change His Will. The universe remains unheeding of the laws by which you thought to govern it. And Heaven has not bowed to hell, nor life to death. You can but choose to think you die, or suffer sickness or distort the truth in any way. What is created is apart from all of this. Defenses are plans to defeat what cannot be attacked. What is unalterable cannot change. And what is wholly sinless cannot sin.
Such is the simple truth. It does not make appeal to might nor triumph. It does not command obedience, nor seek to prove how pitiful and futile your attempts to plan defenses that would alter it. Truth merely wants to give you happiness, for such its purpose is. Perhaps it sighs a little when you throw away its gifts, and yet it knows, with perfect certainty, that what God wills for you must be received.
It is this fact that demonstrates that time is an illusion. For time lets you think what God has given you is not the truth right now, as it must be. The Thoughts of God are quite apart from time. For time is but another meaningless defense you made against the truth. Yet what He wills is here, and you remain as He created you.
Truth has a power far beyond defense, for no illusions can remain where truth has been allowed to enter. And it comes to any mind that would lay down its arms, and cease to play with folly. It is found at any time; today, if you will choose to practice giving welcome to the truth.
This is our aim today. And we will give a quarter of an hour twice to ask the truth to come to us and set us free. And truth will come, for it has never been apart from us. It merely waits for just this invitation which we give today. We introduce it with a healing prayer, to help us rise above defensiveness, and let truth be as it has always been:
Healing will flash across your open mind, as peace and truth arise to take the place of war and vain imaginings. There will be no dark corners sickness can conceal, and keep defended from the light of truth. There will be no dim figures from your dreams, nor their obscure and meaningless pursuits with double purposes insanely sought, remaining in your mind. It will be healed of all the sickly wishes that it tried to authorize the body to obey.
Now is the body healed, because the source of sickness has been opened to relief. And you will recognize you practiced well by this: The body should not feel at all. If you have been successful, there will be no sense of feeling ill or feeling well, of pain or pleasure. No response at all is in the mind to what the body does. Its usefulness remains and nothing more.
Perhaps you do not realize that this removes the limits you had placed upon the body by the purposes you gave to it. As these are laid aside, the strength the body has will always be enough to serve all truly useful purposes. The body's health is fully guaranteed, because it is not limited by time, by weather or fatigue, by food and drink, or any laws you made it serve before. You need do nothing now to make it well, for sickness has become impossible.
Yet this protection needs to be preserved by careful watching. If you let your mind harbor attack thoughts, yield to judgment or make plans against uncertainties to come, you have again misplaced yourself, and made a bodily identity which will attack the body, for the mind is sick.
Give instant remedy, should this occur, by not allowing your defensiveness to hurt you longer. Do not be confused about what must be healed, but tell yourself:
