THE GIFTS OF GOD — Sondra Ray and Markus Ray on A Course in Miracles

This is a continuation of yesterday's Lesson #27, "Above all else I want to see." Can we see things with the eyes of wholeness? Can we see the true nature of things? In this Lesson, the beginning of true vision is given to us. We want to see the purpose of the universe in what we see. This is the day we begin to see the transcendental nature of things. 

This Lesson is the beginning of true vision. Sondra & Markus discuss Lesson #27, "Above all else I want to see." Holy Vision is something we must want more than anything else in order to have it. Sacrifice of any kind is not necessary. Vision has no "cost," other than the unequivocal desire to have it more than anything else. 

This Lesson gives us a clear picture of how "attack thoughts" we "project outward" are actually attacking us. We are attacking ourselves when we have concern or anger about any situation. Are we willing to see this whole thing differently? Our safety relies on us giving up our concerns and "attack thoughts." 

The first lesson that introduces us to the concept of the "ego," a false self we made up to replace the Self God Created. This is not our real Self, and it has "personal goals" that prevent us from knowing this real Self. We can withdraw our "personal interests of "me and mine," and in this space we can be shown our holy purpose and meaning. Concern, fear and upset show us this lack of purpose. 

In this discussion, Sondra & Markus discuss lesson #24, "I do not perceive my own best interests." We need to give up the interests we think are our "best interests" in order for the Holy Spirit to give us something new, something truly in our best interests. 

WOW. Here is the beginning of seeing that we have actually projected the "hell" we see in the world. Every "attack thought" we have contributes to the external conflicts we observe "out there." Sondra and Markus give a lively discussion of Lesson #23 in A Year I Give to God. 

In this Lesson we see the aspect of our thinking that projects time and impermanence onto things. It asks us to say, as we are looking at things, "I see only the perishable; I see nothing that will last." As a result of this kind of seeing, we a in fear, believing in non-existence—or "death." Sondra admits this Lesson in itself is upsetting. Markus states this is how the ego "sees things," even God, as an attacking entity that makes our world unsafe and fearful.

A YEAR I GIVE TO GOD is a place we go to be honest. Sondra and Markus expose some of the common pitfalls we fall into with common "irritations" that we need to "see differently." Join them in this honest discussion of what is meaningful in life, and what we need to clean up in our world. 

A Year I Give To God is an opportunity to "reverse our thinking." This "reversal" is a miracle. We are prompted in this Lesson #20 to change our mind so we can really see, and not "see' through the filter of judgments that cause us misery. Sondra and Markus explore the "structure" of a disciplined approach to studying A Course in Miracles. Our true "seeing" depends on this thought reversal and practice. 

We are not alone in our thinking? We even share our misperceptions of the ego with others. The question is which thought system are we using? The ego's or the Holy Spirit's? Sondra & Markus continue their discussions in the A YEAR I GIVE TO GOD program.