A Course in Miracles Lessons 6 to 10
78
I am upset because I see something that is not there.
Lesson 6
In lesson 5 I realise that I spontaneously assign meaning to things I see. The meaning I assign to what I see is a thought inside me and as such has nothing to do with the object I see outside of me.
The meaning I assign to what I see gives rise to feelings that in turn have nothing to do with the thought that evoked the feelings. So if I am upset by what I see the reason for my upset is not for the reason I have thought up.
So now in Lesson 6 I realise that I must take responsibility for the feeling of upset that I have created and which has nothing to do with what I see. In fact the reason that I created is an illusion that does not exist. I am in effect feeling upset about something that does not exist.
I see only the past.
Lesson 7
This lesson explains the rationale behind all the preceding ideas so far. Everything we see is labelled according to our previous experience with the object or experience in the past. Our reactions to what we see are therefore governed by the past as we continue to see everything the way we saw it when we first labelled it.
We would have no idea what something is unless we have had experiences with it in the past and this goes for objects and experiences. Everything we see is associated with something we have labelled in the past. When a child sees a leaf for the first time it is unique and different from every other leaf until it is labelled and after that all leaves are clumped under the idea called leaf which exists in the past when the idea was first created in our minds.
My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.
Lesson 8
There is one thing we can say with certainty about the past and that it is not the present. From the previous lesson, "we see only the past", means that what we are seeing does not exist in the present. If what we are seeing does not exist now then what we are seeing is an illusion.
The reason why it is so difficult to remain focussed in the present is because the mind is hypnotised by its own projections of the past on to everything we see.
If we are looking at thoughts from the past and the past does not exist now, then we are looking at something that does not exist and the mind must therefore not be thinking though we imagine we are.
This exercise develops our ability to be aware of the times that we are not thinking because our minds are filled with thoughtless ideas. In this condition the truth is blocked.
I see nothing as it is now.
Lesson 9
The exercise is introduced by assuring us that understanding at this stage is not required and our acceptance that we do not understand is in fact necessary for us to progress at this stage. “The recognition that you do not understand is a prerequisite for undoing your false ideas.”
We have been conditioned from birth to believe what we see is actually there when in fact this is an impossibility given that we can only see the past. This idea can be disturbing for many people who may experience resistance as a result. Because we have already labelled everything we see in the past it is all tied to the past and cannot be seen as it is now.
My thoughts do not mean anything.
Lesson 10
What we believe are our thoughts actually don't mean anything. What we think we think is not real. The thoughts we believe are ours are simply present because we are preoccupied with the past. It is as if we are tied to everything by means of the past and as such we cannot be thinking in the present. We cannot be thinking in the present if our minds are filled with past thoughts that are not our real thoughts. In fact the very opposite is happening in that our minds are actually blank.
In a nutshell, we are aware of thinking but the error lies in us giving any meaning to the past thoughts that preoccupy us. To correct the error we must realise experientially these so called "thoughts" are not ours but are projections we are looking at which means that we are not thinking and our minds are blank.
The prerequisite for vision is the ability to recognise the nothingness in everything we think we see.
Link to Purchase the Book from Amazon
A Course in Miracles: Combined Volume
(The ONLY complete edition published by the Foundation for Inner Peace)
Part 1 - The Visionaries - The Story of A Course in Miracles
Links to other Parts of Lessons in A Course in Miracles
Links to Related Articles by Spirit Whisperer
CommentsLoading...
Thank you Mr. Happy. I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. UK spelling uses "s" both spellings are fine, but thank you for letting me know.
This hub is a report of what I have gotten out of Lessons 6 to 10 of A Course in Miracles and is built upon the work done in Lessons 1 to 5. To answer your question I would say that everything you see is equally meaningless. But to really get this you must do the exercises as just thinking about them doesn't give you the experience.
With regard to the chains you mention, they are creations in your mind and as such can be dis-created by the mind. By turning to your inner source of wisdom you will receive all the guidance you require. I will check out your hubs presently.
Read this as carefully as 1-5, the first half. What do you think of this. There are some who say all things created such as thoughts, feelings, actions and experiences are recorded in an Akashic named energy field. Its conduit in the human bio machine is the sub-consciousness which can be accessed or rather one can be open to it in our present stage of development. At a higher spiritual level it can be accessed directly for great benefit to a person. Is it better to dwell on the pain of a long lost love to keep from making the same mistakes again or to only pull up the good moments in it? Your right Spirit, the past is the past for a reason....For ever forward is Creations or if one prefers, Gods' demand and eternal unchangeable law. Just going with the stream today Irish, the course is thought propelling.
Hello, Mr. X. I did not know Brits have a different spelling ... I should have known though. Many things are done differently there: from driving on the "wrong" side of the street (there is no wrong or right lol - just sayin') to putting up with a monarchy in the 21st century, to the inability to see itself as part of EU, etc.
So, I guess we are on the same page: everything is equally important or equally meaningless - nothing matters because everything matters (equally).
I'm sorry for jumping in the middle of things here. I just stumbled on this blog yesterday. I don't know anything about these lessons or courses on miracles. I do not believe in miracles because I do know that anything is possible with the right knowledge, attitude and frame of mind.
To get an idea on the way I looked at this topic you can read my essay titled "My Stairway to Heaven" ... if you're not into metaphysics, I wouldn't attempt it though. It might be boring.
Thanks for the conversation! All the best.
Alastar, I am glad you are enjoying your enjoy your paddle down the course in miracles and your boat is spirit propelled! LOL
Thanks for stopping by and reading it. Your comments are always much appreciated.
Mr.Happy, I live in the Isle of Man but I am Irish. Ireland is part of the EU and does not have a monarchy. No offence is taken though.
With regard to your interpretation of my answer though, I am not sure if we are on the same book never mind being on the same page. My words were "Everything you see is equally meaningless." The rest of what you have added is your opinion and your are entitled to that. I don't share it, that's all.
Thank you for commenting and good luck with the metaphysics!
Hello again Spirit Whisperer. I'm glad you did not take my playing around as offensive because it wasn't.
Now, on the issue of the sentence: "Everything you see is equally meaningless" - does that not mean that if everything is equally meaningless then, everything is equally important?
And of course what I say is my opinion lol ... just like what you say or anyone else says, is their opinion. I did not intend to "put words in your mouth", so to speak. I did assume though (obviously incorrectly) that you would follow the same logical thought that I did. It was a presumptuous thought on my part.
Feel free to elaborate on your disagreement though, I am interested in thoughts. Thanks for the good wish too! Cheers.
Hello again Mr. Happy.
Let me break it down so you can better understand where I am coming from and why your extra words change the meaning of the idea I expressed.
Seeing is an illusion because any object we look at is actually a creation of the mind in the visual centre of the brain. The brain decodes electrical impulses sent from the optic nerve connected to the retina. The "seeing" is done in a small area in the back of your brain. The external object is experienced internally as is the meaning we associate with the object.
The meaning we attach to the object comes from the past when we first labelled a similar object. The object is an illusion created in the brain from the past thoughts and therefore has no meaning in the present. Everything we "believe we" see is equally meaningless.
I have simplified my explanation down to the bear minimum but if you wish to learn more I would recommend you do the course. Words can sometimes get in the way as I suspect your preconceived ideas are about miracles were the cause for you saying you do not believe in miracles. The meaning you have attached to the idea of miracles is your own creation born out of your past experiences and nothing to do with its meaning in this course.
Once again I thank you for your interest and I wish you well on your own journey.
Thank you for the conversation Mr. Spirit Whisperer. We are having a miscommunication issue here. I think I am not clear enough in what I am trying to say.
In my earlier comment I suggested an essay of mine to read. In that essay, I explain (I think quite effectively) the same thing you are saying: "The meaning we attach to the object comes from the past when we first labelled a similar object". Everything we know and we give meaning to is indeed from the past; our parents, teachers, etc. have told us what is what and what means what. In reality (I like to use the example of a chair) a chair is not a chair. We actually (I would dare to say) do not know what a chair is. That "thing-in-itself" we gave a name to: "chair" but that does not explain what it means to be a chair. So, yes - our understanding of our world only through our three dimensional perspective creates an "illusionary" (I think I invented a word here) understanding of our life and ultimately, our existence.
Now, you still have not answered my question: if everything is equally meaningless - does that not logically make everything equally important?
On the issue of miracles which you gave more importance than I do to, I have to take the definition of the word "miracles" and see what it says.
"Miracle n. 1 a marvelous event or act attributed to supernatural agency. 2 an extraordinary occurrence. 3 an extraordinary example (of)", etc.
Now, I personally think anything is possible and so nothing is extraordinary. Or I can say, if "Everything you see is equally meaningless" then, nothing can be extraordinarily marvelous".
I think this is a matter of linguistics here and not so much spirituality or philosophy. Definitions and meanings can be tricky since we make it all up and some of us have different meaning for the same thing - a matter of experience.
Cheers!
Hello again Mr.Happy
Yes, I appreciate that words can get in the way of any communication and though I agree with your quotation from your essay I do not agree with it all and that is ok too. I do however have an issue with logic that equates the meaningless with the important.
As I have already said, your definition of miracles is from a source that fits your belief and if you are happy with that then so be it. The miracles referred to in the course have a far more significant meaning and would take a person doing the course to fully grasp its meaning.
We can spend hours discussing ideas and opinions here but the bottom line is that the course I have written about here is about experiencing the ideas presented and I have merely commented on my experience after doing each exercise. I don't know if you would have the same experience but you will never know if you are not willing to do them. But that is also fine. I am just presenting my experience of each exercise and each lesson builds on the exercise before. I personally have found the experience to be a fulfilling and most rewarding one but I also appreciate that it is not the only way. Every person has their path.
I'll hav to go and read this book, it tookme a while to clue in that it was indeed a bok which I can buy, well spoke.
A great educational Hub. I tend to think in the past mode at times, but am slowly adjusting to a new way of thinking. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Smiles
Thank you Rebecca E I appreciate you taking the time to read my hub and comment. I have also taken your advice and placed a link to Amazon where the book can be purchased.
Please let me know how you get on with the course.
always exploring, I appreciate you stopping by and commenting. Yes, we are all prey to being captives of the past and that has the effect of recreating our past experiences. The course goes a bit further in that it teaches that everything we see is anchored in past thoughts and as such is actually meaningless in the present. The exercises involved to reach this level of awareness are very powerful but also very simple and easy to practise.
Hi Irish. I didn't elaborate on the course in miracles in the post because as stated, I go with the flow of the subtle inspiration. And as it turned out there was that interesting comment reply between Mr. Happy and yourself. As far as I can tell everything in the course is scientifically sound and only the methods one chooses to implement these facts for the betterment of a desired effect may differ. Once conditioning is broken through the free flow of the two brains co-operating together instead of stubborn resistance by the so called artistic side against the scientist side a gentle and sublime force begins guiding the consciousness with the scars of the past fading ever faster and the future blossoms like a withered flower in the rains of a dry summer.Flowery language but there it is. The course looks to be an effective way forward to personal enlightenment and one has the very excellent example of yourself. Spirit Whisperer, how appropriate, calming, yet with the voice of the divine as in extremely good knowledge.
Wow, Dixie you surprised me with all that flowery language LOL but I appreciate you coming back after having thought it all through. That means a lot to me.
A Course in Miracles is the first time I have ever pursued truth in this way. Always in the past I have been presented with ideas that I either liked or didn't. This course doesn't ask that you accept any ideas but rather asks that you do a set of exercises to change the conditioning of your mind.
I am still me but the veil of illusion slips from the eyes very gradually but perceptibly from the very first exercise.
I suppose the course is a culmination of all I have done in the last 30 years to arrive at the point that I can say, with hand on my heart, that I am able to appreciate them now.
Having said that, this is but one road of many and in the end "all roads lead to Rome"!
SW - wow. I have never ever realized this before but it is so true. I guess we do look to the past to judge the now. But how do you stop doing that? It is a huge thing to think about changing in the way you think. I always make sure I have plenty of time to read your hubs. I often need to read them two or three times and have thinking time. This is one of them that I feel I am still missing something huge. You know how someone can look at a math problem and figure it out really fast and some people have to work the problem 5 different ways before they get the answer? Yean. I'm no math whiz:) Up and everything. Thank you - Kelly
Thank you Kelly. I am really glad that what I have written has provoked such thinking in you, that is what it is meant to do. The hub is a report on the results I have achieved from doing exercises 6 to 10 of A Course in Miracles. It is by doing the exercises that I write what I wrote so the results are from something I did rather than something I thought up. It is a very exciting but mots rewarding journey.
.......well I always find 'miracles' in all of your lessons and your writing -but quite frankly a lot of it is over the epi-man's head - my writing comes from the inner sanctum of ' hickery dickery dock' - lol -
...but I am glad I found you - as I am always learning from you - and that's what makes life interesting - turning that 'page' everyday on our travels to self-discovery -
lake erie time 11:34am
I sincerely hope all is well with you my friend and your family too during this summer of 2011.
I am I glad I found you too and the fact that you take the time to visit and comment means a lot. Thank you.
We are all fine here and I hope my reply finds you in good health and spirits too.
I agree with Rebecca. I must look up this book "A Course in Miracles." I have heard of it before but your hubs have reminded me to check it out.
Thank you tebo, and please let me know your reaction to the book.
So funny that I should find a hub about assigning thoughts to what we see and how everything is really neutral. I just watched a great lecture by Guy Finley on that same thing and was introduced to the Course over twenty years ago with a Marianne Williamson lecture on that very subject. Guess it keeps popping up for a reason. . . thanks
Hi terryk99, yes, I agree there are no coincidences once you enter the world of miracles LOL. Thank you for the visit.
Mr. Happy Level 7 Commenter 10 months ago
"The prerequisite for vision is the ability to recognise the nothingness in everything we think we see." - you got a spelling mistake on "recognize", I think.
Besides that, I agree with that statement. Do you think that saying that everything is equal therefore nothing is important, means somewhat the same thing?
This piece of writing is quite important. I have written many times on this subject as well. People need to break-free from the chains of the past, otherwise we're going nowhere and fast.
Cheers!