Lesson 9: “I see nothing as it is now.”

This lesson says, “it is difficult for an untrained mind to believe that what it seems to picture is not there.”  

We are all always students no matter how advanced we are. 

We can forgive this and trust the process as it is.  We are all learning as we go; this is why we are all forever students of our personal evolution.

We must realize that we have no idea the true nature of reality as it is. 

Therefore, we want to stand back and not try to make it other than it is.

The Course teaches us to be an empty slate within when we perceive the world.

The ego has a very rigid and specific outlook about everything. 

The egos pretend that they know how to approach life.  But the truth is they know nothing.  We have our egos- that speak loudly, claiming we know all the tricks that life requires, but the truth is that the egos are feigning having secure power.

When we release the ego’s stern grip on our minds, then we can be open to a fresh and different perception. 

The problem is that this puts the ego on the defensive.

The ego attacks outwardly to try to ward off what seems like an attack from us when we give the ego boundaries and directions.

The ego gets petrified that we mean business and may turn instead to God.

Therefore, the ego does insane things to try to keep us in line. 

When we refuse to rock the boat, then we forget to realize that God is right here all the time and can show us a totally different perspective.

We are simply asked to forgive the ego. 

And this can be an infinitely massive undertaking- to get the ego to quiet down and open up that space where God can enter freely.

The ego may be just on the edge of what we may think is normal but when we look closely, we see the ego is beyond insane.

We are asked to step back and have a very gentle touch with the ego.  

We must appreciate that the ego is scared beyond belief and this is why the ego lashes out with the attempt to control.

The insanity of the ego is so far fetched it almost is hard to believe that the ego is just calling for love. 

But we have to sit with God, take a deep breath, and allow the ego to have a voice of distress. 

Then we forgive this. 

No matter how much the ego pushes our buttons, we just need to give God our willingness to forgive the ego. 

Even if this feels utterly out of the question.

Just appreciate that our serenity in dealing with the ego is simply the way we get to a much better place. 

When we learn to forgive the ego and give the ego boundaries that are appropriate, then our minds are clear for the energetic opening to God’s Love.