Let me perceive forgiveness as it is.
Forgiveness is often misperceived as a sacrifice.
In truth, forgiveness calmly and quietly sees the nothingness of illusions regardless of the infinite number of forms in which they can appear.
True forgiveness recognizes the unreality of sin.
Forgiveness helps us to awaken from the dream of the world of appearances that we have made.
Forgiveness means to let go of illusions.
STOP interacting with illusions because each reaction or response is only making them appear more real in our minds, the only place where they have any reality.
We practice forgiveness so that we can experience relief and release from the heavy, burdensome feelings that are born whenever we offer condemnation to anyone including ourselves.
Our hatreds, angers, and condemnation are the grievances that produce a heavy, sad, unhappy, tired, and closed heart.
Whenever we condemn we are saying that sin is real, and this is what in truth is supporting its creation.
And since there is nothing outside of our minds, by condemning another we are really only in truth condemning ourselves because we can in truth only meet but ourselves in another.
All we ever see are the projections from our imaginations, a principle you may recall that we learned in some of the earlier lessons.
Every attack on another is solely an attack on ourselves.
All that I see is me.
All appearance is but an effect of the thoughts in our minds.
The cure is always partnering with the Holy Spirit to help us keep watching the thoughts in our minds together and asking moment to moment to help us see each specific thought differently.
This lesson aims at showing us how to practice true forgiveness.
Choose someone specific to forgive.
One by one, write down a list of his or her sins. As each sin is listed, we reflect on it and ask ourselves “Do I really want to condemn myself for doing this, because as I condemn him or her, in truth, I am condemning myself?
This lesson highlights one of the central principles in A Course in Miracles, that points out that no one is condemned or imprisoned alone, and also, that no one enters Heaven alone.
When we condemn a brother, we automatically condemn ourselves as well. But, when we free that brother, we also open the door to Heaven so that we may both enter simultaneously.
Do we really want to continue to make sin and condemnation real?
Do we really want to continue to imprison ourselves?
Do we really want to continue attacking ourselves?
Why would we continue to see ourselves as innocent and others as guilty?
Why are we allowing what is not real to upset us?
What our body’s eyes see is only form and is never reality.
Recognize that only Love is Real.
We can only do this when we rest in the stillness of being joined with God.
Open our minds and hearts to see past all illusions to the truth.
True forgiveness looks upon all in stillness and sees illusions for what they are.
Go past the clutter and chatter of illusions.
Let us perceive forgiveness as it is.
Now Rest in peace and stillness, joined with God and our brothers as One.
