A Course In Miracles Lesson 9

A Course In Miracles Lesson 9 states: 

I see nothing as it is now.

Intellectually, we may be able to accept this idea.  But the experiential meaning of this fact is not something we will fully understand yet.   However, understanding is not necessary at this point.  We are not aiming to understand the true nature of time right now.  In the lessons, we are only focusing on recognizing that we simply do not and can not understand it from our current perspective of the world.  Recognizing how our mind is preoccupied with the past is the first necessary step towards undoing that preoccupation.  First, we have to see that this preoccupation is there.

We do not need to understand or like the lessons that are laying down the structures for new logic pathways.  We need only continue participating from wherever we are.  Repeated engagement of the small daily lessons, regardless of if we are calm or agreeable towards them will lay the new structure of logic down.  Laying that down will make way for the understanding that will follow.  So, ironically, these practice sessions can feel a bit “mindless” as we shift out of an old software into a new one.

We do not need to practice what we already understand.  We need to practice reaching for what we do not yet understand.  There will be tension and conflict in that action.  But we gain understanding by reaching.  That is the nature of the learning process.  When we learn something, we do not continue striving to learn it.  When we have it, we have it and it is known. 

These lessons about time lead to truly new learning and new awareness about reality which can not be referenced by any part of your current way of thinking… since it is a new way.  So do not feel any strain that might suggest you should already understand what you are learning.  If you did, you would not have any need for these exercises.  They are not aiming for comprehension of the nature of time.  We are only aiming for comprehension of the nature of our minds, which are preoccupied with the past.

We do not see anything as it is now.  We see only the past.  Let us be gentle with our minds as we bring this new logic in.  It sounds a bit crazy to suggest that the pen I am holding or the chair I am sitting in is not real.  Such an idea can be quite disturbing and met with active resistance in a number of forms.  A Course in Miracles is very clear however in explaining that any resistance to these lessons does not interfere with presenting the idea to our minds.  

What is real and true can not ever be interfered with by anything.  Real and true is always real and true.  Finding the logic that leads to real and true perception will feel uncomfortable to the logic that has been in service to diversions from the truth.  The resistance can be compared to the experience of having a very vivid dream and feeling certain of its realness only to wake up and find it was not real at all.  Such vivid dreams can leave an atmosphere so convincing that we focus on it even while knowing it is not happening and never did happen.  It was only a dream. We practice waking from dreams thousands of times in our lives and that is not an accident.  The nature of life is also of a dream-like quality.  We will eventually leave this temporary form and if we engage the logic that helps us understand the dream-nature of reality, we will not experience as much strain or confusion when the awakening does occur.  We will eventually awaken from this life dream.  

In all matters of the mind, we will always be navigating logic and belief structures.  It is up to us to choose what those beliefs will be.  Today we have a new belief structure.  It says: I see nothing as it is now.