Today's lesson, number 54 from A Course In Miracles, is a review lesson of lessons 16-20 and includes "I have no neutral thoughts;" "I see no neutral things;" "I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my seeing;" I am not alone in experiencing the effects of my thoughts;" "I am determined to see."
A Course in Miracles teaches that we have two minds: the wrong mind and the right mind, and also a third mind which is the decision making mind to choose between the wrong mind and the right mind.
The wrong mind sees illusions on the path of the ego and the right mind sees unconditional, nonjudgmental Love on the path of the Spirit. The Course teaches, based on its metaphysical curriculum, that we have, all the time, a very simple choice: to use the wrong mind or the right mind.
This choice is what is meant when the lessons tell us that there are no neutral thoughts and there are no neutral things. Thoughts and things are either right or wrong.
There is either ego or Love. The Course also teaches that which mind we choose seems to have effects on others. No person is totally alone because ulimately we are One with Everything. What we choose to think, we see, and this seeing affects others. In this sense, One person can save the world if One were to see with what Christians sometimes call "beatific vision." I like to call it "cosmic consciousness." Some people call it "Christ minded." The Buddhist who wanted a hot dog asked the vendor to "Make me one with everything."
In Unitarian Univeralism, we covenant together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Integrating the metaphysical curriculum of A Course In Miracles with the Uniatrian Universalist living tradition we come to understand that this "free and responsible search" takes on the path of the what the Course calls right minded thinking. UU also articulates the affirmation and promotion of the person's right to choose or, in the Course's language, to engage in his/her decision making mind to continue with the path of the ego or to engage with the path of the spirit.
The path of the Spirit involves forgiveness and accepting for oneself the Atonement. Accepting the Atonement means giving up of the separation from the nondualistic oneness which has given rise to separateness which is experienced in special relationships and the celebration of individuality.
Today's review lesson affirms and promotes that we have a choice to make and asks us to realize that there is a better way. This better way involves becoming aware of inherent holiness and the holiness of all of humanity. The implementation of the fourth principle, the affirmation and promotion of the free and responsible search for truth and meaning, takes us onto the path of the spirit which is embued with vision.
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