LESSON 69
March 10

"My grievances hide the light of the world in me."

PRACTICE SUMMARY

Purpose: Another attempt to experience the light in you.

Longer: 1 time, for 10-15 minutes.

For several minutes think about the importance to yourself and the world of attempting to see past the veil that hides the world's salvation. Realize that salvation is our only purpose, goal, function and need, and be determined to look on it.
Then, with eyes closed, let go all your thoughts. Picture your mind as a vast circle of light surrounded and hidden by a layer of dark clouds. You seem to be standing outside your mind and so the clouds seem to be all there is.
In perfect stillness be determined to pass the clouds. Feel yourself travelling through them. Feel them on your face. If you are successful, you will feel the power of God lifting you up and carrying you ahead. Hold in your mind the confidence that what you attempt with God must succeed because God will answer your attempt. Then let His power work in and through you.

Shorter: as often as possible.

Say: "My grievances hide the light of the world in me. I cannot see what I have hidden. Yet I want to let it be revealed to me, for my salvation and the salvation of the world."

Response To Temptation: Whenever tempted to hold a grievance, say: "If I hold this grievance the light of the world will be hidden from me."

COMMENTARY

I am the light of the world, but the light cannot shine out because my grievances hide it. When I let my grievances go, the light is released, and releases my brother and myself. My job with everyone I meet is to share my salvation with him.

Today's practice is another time of attempting to "reach the light in you," or in other words, to become aware of my Self as God created It, wholly loving and wholly loveable. Notice how the form of this practice is similar to what we've seen before; it is a pattern that is repeated often in the Workbook in different forms. In general, the pattern is one of attempting to move past, or move through, or let go of the thoughts that normally occupy my mind, settling down in deep stillness, and reaching beyond my surface thoughts to something deep within myself, a Self I am not normally aware of. This could be called the Course method of meditation. It is one of the tools given to us by the Workbook, and should be learned and used even after Workbook practice per se has ended.

What we are trying to reach is "dearer to us than all else" (3:1). Reaching it, finding it, and releasing it to the world is our only purpose and only function on earth. "Learning salvation is our only goal" (3:4). I love the poignant imagery of this sentence: "We are trying to let the veil be lifted, and to see the tears of God's Son disappear in the sunlight" (2:5). Can you feel that tug with me, that longing to release the light of the world that is in you?

"There is a light that this world cannot give. Yet you can give it, as it was given you. And as you give it, it shines forth to call you from the world and follow it. For this light will attract you as nothing in this world can do." (T-13.VI.11:1-4)