ACIM - Lesson 35

LESSON 35

My mind is part of God's. I am very holy.

Today's idea does not describe the way you see yourself now. It does, however, describe what vision will show you. It is difficult for anyone who thinks he is in this world to believe this of himself. Yet the reason he thinks he is in this world is because he does not believe it.

You will believe that you are part of where you think you are. That is because you surround yourself with the environment you want. And you want it to protect the image of yourself that you have made. The image is part of this environment. What you see while you believe you are in it is seen through the eyes of the image. This is not vision. Images cannot see.

The idea for today presents a very different view of yourself. By establishing your Source it establishes your Identity, and it describes you as you must really be in truth. We will use a somewhat different kind of application for today's idea because the emphasis for today is on the perceiver, rather than on what he perceives.

For each of the three five-minute practice periods today, begin by repeating today's idea to yourself, and then close your eyes and search your mind for the various kinds of descriptive terms in which you see yourself. Include all the ego-based attributes which you ascribe to yourself, positive or negative, desirable or undesirable, grandiose or debased. All of them are equally unreal, because you do not look upon yourself through the eyes of holiness.

In the earlier part of the mind-searching period, you will probably emphasize what you consider to be the more negative aspects of your perception of yourself. Toward the latter part of the exercise period, however, more self-inflating descriptive terms may well cross your mind. Try to recognize that the direction of your fantasies about yourself does not matter. Illusions have no direction in reality. They are merely not true.

A suitable unselected list for applying the idea for today might be as follows:

I see myself as imposed on.

I see myself as depressed.

I see myself as failing.

I see myself as endangered.

I see myself as helpless.

I see myself as victorious.

I see myself as losing out.

I see myself as charitable.

I see myself as virtuous.

You should not think of these terms in an abstract way. They will occur to you as various situations, personalities and events in which you figure cross your mind. Pick up any specific situation that occurs to you, identify the descriptive term or terms you feel are applicable to your reactions to that situation, and use them in applying today's idea. After you have named each one, add:

But my mind is part of God's.

I am very holy.

During the longer exercise periods, there will probably be intervals in which nothing specific occurs to you. Do not strain to think up specific things to fill the interval, but merely relax and repeat today's idea slowly until something occurs to you. Although nothing that does occur should be omitted from the exercises, nothing should be "dug out" with effort. Neither force nor discrimination should be used.

As often as possible during the day, pick up a specific attribute or attributes you are ascribing to yourself at the time and apply the idea for today to them, adding the idea in the form stated above to each of them. If nothing particular occurs to you, merely repeat the idea to yourself, with closed eyes.

ACIM - Lesson 34

LESSON 34 

I could see peace instead of this.

The idea for today begins to describe the conditions that prevail in the other way of seeing. Peace of mind is clearly an internal matter. It must begin with your own thoughts, and then extend outward. It is from your peace of mind that a peaceful perception of the world arises.

Three longer practice periods are required for today's exercises. One in the morning and one in the evening are advised, with an additional one to be undertaken at any time in between that seems most conducive to readiness. All applications should be done with your eyes closed. It is your inner world to which the applications of today's idea should be made.

Some five minutes of mind searching are required for each of the longer practice periods. Search your mind for fear thoughts, anxiety-provoking situations, "offending" personalities or events, or anything else about which you are harboring unloving thoughts. Note them all casually, repeating the idea for today slowly as you watch them arise in your mind, and let each one go, to be replaced by the next.

If you begin to experience difficulty in thinking of specific subjects, continue to repeat the idea to yourself in an unhurried manner, without applying it to anything in particular. Be sure, however, not to make any specific exclusions.

The shorter applications are to be frequent, and made whenever you feel your peace of mind is threatened in any way. The purpose is to protect yourself from temptation throughout the day. If a specific form of temptation arises in your awareness, the exercise should take this form:

I could see peace in this situation

instead of what I now see in it.

If the inroads on your peace of mind take the form of more generalized adverse emotions, such as depression, anxiety or worry, use the idea in its original form. If you find you need more than one application of today's idea to help you change your mind in any specific context, try to take several minutes and devote them to repeating the idea until you feel some sense of relief. It will help you if you tell yourself specifically:

I can replace my feelings of depression, anxiety or worry

[or my thoughts about this situation, personality or event]

. . . with peace.

ACIM - Lesson 33

LESSON 33 

There is another way of looking at the world.

Today's idea is an attempt to recognize that you can shift your perception of the world in both its outer and inner aspects. A full five minutes should be devoted to the morning and evening applications. In these practice periods, the idea should be repeated as often as you find comfortable, though unhurried applications are essential. Alternate between surveying your outer and inner perceptions, but without an abrupt sense of shifting.

Merely glance casually around the world you perceive as outside yourself, then close your eyes and survey your inner thoughts with equal casualness. Try to remain equally uninvolved in both, and to maintain this detachment as you repeat the idea throughout the day.

The shorter exercise periods should be as frequent as possible. Specific applications of today's idea should also be made immediately, when any situation arises which tempts you to become disturbed. For these applications, say:

There is another way of looking at this.

Remember to apply today's idea the instant you are aware of distress. It may be necessary to take a minute or so to sit quietly and repeat the idea to yourself several times. Closing your eyes will probably help in this form of application.

ACIM - Lesson 32

LESSON 32 

I have invented the world I see.

Today we are continuing to develop the theme of cause and effect. You are not the victim of the world you see because you invented it. You can give it up as easily as you made it up. You will see it or not see it, as you wish. While you want it you will see it; when you no longer want it, it will not be there for you to see.

The idea for today, like the preceding ones, applies to your inner and outer worlds, which are actually the same. However, since you see them as different, the practice periods for today will again include two phases, one involving the world you see outside you, and the other the world you see in your mind. In today's exercises, try to introduce the thought that both are in your own imagination.

Again we will begin the practice periods for the morning and evening by repeating the idea for today two or three times while looking around at the world you see as outside yourself. Then close your eyes and look around your inner world. Try to treat them both as equally as possible. Repeat the idea for today unhurriedly as often as you wish, as you watch the images your imagination presents to your awareness.

For the two longer practice periods three to five minutes are recommended, with not less than three required. More than five can be utilized, if you find the exercise restful. To facilitate this, select a time when few distractions are anticipated, and when you yourself feel reasonably ready.

These exercises are also to be continued during the day, as often as possible. The shorter applications consist of repeating the idea slowly, as you survey either your inner or outer world. It does not matter which you choose.

The idea for today should also be applied immediately to any situation that may distress you. Apply the idea by telling yourself:

I have invented this situation as I see it.

ACIM - Lesson 31

LESSON 31 

I am not the victim of the world I see.

Today's idea is the introduction to your declaration of release. Again, the idea should be applied to both the world you see without and the world you see within. In applying the idea, we will use a form of practice which will be used more and more, with changes as indicated. Generally speaking, the form includes two aspects, one in which you apply the idea on a more sustained basis, and the other consisting of frequent applications of the idea throughout the day.

Two longer periods of practice with the idea for today are needed, one in the morning and one at night. Three to five minutes for each of these are recommended. During that time, look about you slowly while repeating the idea two or three times. Then close your eyes, and apply the same idea to your inner world. You will escape from both together, for the inner is the cause of the outer.

As you survey your inner world, merely let whatever thoughts cross your mind come into your awareness, each to be considered for a moment, and then replaced by the next. Try not to establish any kind of hierarchy among them. Watch them come and go as dispassionately as possible. Do not dwell on any one in particular, but try to let the stream move on evenly and calmly, without any special investment on your part. As you sit and quietly watch your thoughts, repeat today's idea to yourself as often as you care to, but with no sense of hurry.

In addition, repeat the idea for today as often as possible during the day. Remind yourself that you are making a declaration of independence in the name of your own freedom. And in your freedom lies the freedom of the world.

The idea for today is also a particularly useful one to use as a response to any form of temptation that may arise. It is a declaration that you will not yield to it, and put yourself in bondage.

GTC - Lesson 4

How many people truly change their life in a meaningful way in 60 days or less?

Honestly... not many.

Sure Aaron Ralston changed his life in 127 hours. But he had to spend five days with his arm trapped under a boulder, alone in the wilderness, dehydrated, until he finally amputated his arm to set himself free.

I don't know about you... but I'd rather stick to small incremental steps on the path of personal development. Applying one insight at a time over the course of the next day, week or month until it bears fruit.

Sure we all want instant results but that's not how our Universe was designed...

Rain will remain rain at 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). 

At 41 degrees it's still rain. 35 degrees, 33 degrees... it's still rain. Cold rain. But still rain.

But once the temperature drops to 32 degrees Fahrenheit it suddenly becomes snow.

It's not like the rain starts looking a little more snow-like. It just suddenly shifts once the temperature has dropped enough.

As we slowly change our "internal temperature" we may not notice any change until enough effort has been made.

I started on the path of personal transformation in 2006 – after four years of effort, I had already seen tremendous progress. I was happier, more playful, and I felt more inner freedom to just be me, authentically, with no regrets or apologies about who I was.

Fast-forward to today. I can say with all honesty that my life has changed in every way possible.

Four years. That's really nothing.

Sure, I wish I could tell you those big changes happened in four minutes... but that would probably require that I amputate an arm or become a cast away on some deserted island.

Why wait for drastic and painful challenges to force us to catch up with life?

Let's let our personal development unfold like a beautiful piece of music that plays in the background of our life – not a series of ear-splitting crashes that makes us fearful of change.

If you're ready to take the next step in your personal journey, click here and join my Liberate Your Life program.

It'll help you take small, strategic, easy-to-follow steps towards living your best life ever.

Even better? I guarantee you can afford it. Scout's Honor. :)

With Love,

Chris

GTC - Lesson 3

Do you remember this scene from the movie "Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back"?

Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is about to fly into an asteroid field to evade capture by Darth Vadar and company.

"The possibility of successfully navigating an asteroid field," warns the fretting android, C3P0, "is approximately 3,720 to 1."

"Never tell me the odds," replies Han Solo.

After surviving the asteroid field Han Solo points his little spaceship in the direction of Darth Vadar's really, really big spaceship.

"The odds of successfully surviving an attack on an Imperial Star Destroyer are approximately..." ventures C3P0 until Princess Lea tells him to shut up.

Finally, CP30 pleads: "I really don't see how that is going to help! Surrender is a perfectly acceptable alternative in extreme circumstances!" At which point Lea shuts the robot off.

We are all born with a C3P0 of an Inner Critic babbling away in our head -- constantly telling us how the odds are against us and we should just give up.

In order to get anything done you need to bind and gag your Inner Critic. Once it's out of the way you can start the journey – whether it's one of self-discovery, of changing old habits, a new career or learning a new language.

But as long as you have a neurotic voice in your head telling you why you can't do something then you won't make as much progress as you are truly capable of.

That's why we have to silence the self-sabotaging Inner Critic first. Then we can pursue a real path of self-discovery.

Click Here To Silence Your Inner Critic

When the Inner Critic is out of your life (or at least silenced) you are able to fully engage with whatever program, book or teacher you are studying.

I bet you have a stack of personal development programs sitting on the bookshelf...

So when are you going to do them?

You're going to do them after you have liberated your mind from that voice in your head that is stopping you from using whatever personal development strategies you know will help you.

Right now your Inner Critic is telling you that you can never learn __________ or that you can never practice ________ every day. Your Inner Critic doesn't really care what "blank" is – it tries to tell you that you can't do it.

"Photo-reading? Mind power? Italian? Martial arts? You can't learn that!" says your Inner Critic. "Who are you kidding? Or even if you did make some progress it wouldn't produce any real results. You could have spent that time enjoying yourself -- watching TV and hanging out with your friends on Facebook."

Sure, your subconscious may not come out and say things this clearly. Usually your Inner Critic is FAR more stealthy than that. But some subconscious or conscious variation of this is true for everyone who isn't able to move forward in life.

As we've already talked about... your Inner Critic doesn't want you to change your life. It only wants to keep you "comfortable."

If you have enough food in the fridge for the next three days, your Inner Critic is happy. If you paid the rent or mortgage this month, things are good.

Like a baby it's mainly concerned about eating, sleeping, pooping, peeing... Or much like our caveman ancestors who did not know how to stop food from rotting or to farm – the kill of the day was all that mattered.

But we are neither children nor caveman. We want so much more from life. And the distractions that 80% of the population embraces – celebrities, sports, beer – just aren't fulfilling enough for people like you and me who want, and deserve, to live up to our greatest potential.

You want to move forward. You want to discover what your purpose is here on earth and what you are capable of.

But your Inner Critic won't let you.

Your Inner Critic has to go.

Click Here If You're Finally Ready To Oust Your Inner Critic

With Love,

Chris

P.S. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to to shut off the self-sabotaging negative chatter of your Inner "C3P0" Critic?

To lead a mental rebellion against the dark empire of negative thinking?

To feel the force inside that is calling you to great things?

Now You Can.

(and for much much less than you probably think)

GTC - Lesson 2

As I mentioned in your previous lesson – people will often cut short positive actions – like meditation or learning an instrument -- because they just don't "feel in the flow" that day. They further argue that setting boundaries by committing to a set amount of practice or study time each day is "unnatural."

Boy isn't our Divided Mind cunning... It picked a term like "unnatural" to stop us from committing to consistent actions that would make us happier, healthier and wealthier.

After all, being all-natural, green and organic is the way to go.

But if someone has smoked a pack of cigarettes every day for the last thirty years – I can guarantee you they are going to find that it feels very "unnatural" to stop smoking.

But smoking certainly isn't natural. We didn't come out of the womb smoking cigarettes. Sure, in Indonesia you can see videos of kids smoking as early as two-years old.

One toddler on the island of Sumatra -- who has become world famous – "would go crazy, slamming his head on the floor and even got sick if he doesn't have his two packs a day." The video was horrifying.

You only have to look at the somewhat "freaky" video of that overweight toddler smoking 40 cigarettes a day to realize that it may be "uncomfortable" for him to quit – but it certainly wasn't natural for him to continue.

Likewise, whenever we set new boundaries on our life (either to avoid a bad habit or create a good one) it may be uncomfortable at first. But if it is going to make our life better then it's certainly not unnatural.

You know what's really unnatural? Not being able to stick to something if we know it's going to improve our lives. That's unnatural!

And it's certainly not "living in the flow." That is living in fear of taking action.

Not taking action may be "comfortable." Especially if that's what someone has been doing all their life. But it sure isn't natural.

We humans give way too much importance to emotional likes and dislikes. "I love this. I hate this." We'd be far happier if we focused on what we WANT instead of what we "like."

To start going after what you really want in life, building incredible amounts of will power and determination, stay tuned for your next lesson.

With Love, 

Chris

P.S. One of the things that makes my approach so different is that I focus more on stories rather than thoughts and beliefs.

Most teachers try to help you change negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs into positive ones. But what if we could get to the root of all thoughts, feelings and beliefs?

What if we could literally re-write the stories being retold inside of our subconscious?

Every experience you've had, every book you've read, every TV program you've seen has all been recorded as stories in your subconscious. Those stories are guiding your life.

You need to decide which stories you want directing your thoughts and actions and which need to go.

Stay tuned for my next email...

Because I'm going to give you a quantum leap towards doing exactly that. :)

GTC - Lesson 1

Let's take a break from A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and post Chris Cade's lessons in regards to 'getting things changed,' or GTC.

Whether you’ve been on the path of personal development for a few weeks or a few years... you’ll probably agree that you haven’t seen the results you expected. Why? Well, one of two reasons:

1) You can’t decide which program, teacher or course to get started with or…

2) You don’t finish what you start… often finding yourself distracted by some new book, course or speaker instead.

To help liberate you from procrastination and lack of follow-through, I've created a 7-part mini-course called "Getting Things Changed." It explains the inner and outer obstacles conspiring against your efforts at changing your life for the better.

It starts today. Below is your first lesson. :)

--------------------

Lesson 1: "Boundaries Can Set You Free"

Like many people, Jane started meditating because she knew it would improve her life. When it was new and the enthusiasm was there, she found it easy.

Once the novelty wore off, however, Jane wasn't that excited about meditation anymore.

It didn't feel that great. She tired of it easily. She couldn't stop wondering what was happening on Facebook.

She quickly found her meditations went from 30 minutes a day to 30 seconds. "I'm just not in the flow, today," Jane would say as she pulled out the IPad to check her emails.

This approach of "I'll do something when it's going good but quit when it's not going so well" is destroying people's will power – whether they are trying to meditate, paint a portrait or get in shape.

That's why I teach people to time their meditations. Set an alarm. Have a goal. This forces us to say to ourselves: "It doesn't matter if my meditation is good or bad... I'm just going to finish it."

Whatever you want to do to improve your life -- set a timer.

Take it a step further by keeping a log or journal – tracking your progress.

Now, once we overcome this barrier to our willpower, then our "Inner Critic" (a subconscious villain that tries to stop us from living a fulfilling life) will use another far more cunning tactic...

Let's say Jane has committed to meditating five minutes each day whether she's in the mood or not. It's a little difficult at first, but after a few weeks she's really enjoying it.

Then one day she's experiencing a very deep meditation and doesn't want to stop when the alarm goes off. So she keeps on meditating as long as she continues to feel this deep state of peace.

Sounds good, right? Not so fast...

Now, when will she actually stop her meditation since the alarm has already gone off? When her meditation starts going bad. That's when.

So now Jane's giving up. Again.

What should you do?

I recommend that you meditate for whatever time you know you can consistently commit to every day. Then if you're having a great meditation one day and you want to meditate more, wait until the timer goes and set it again for another five minutes (or whatever time you decide).

The same goes for exercise. If you're on a runner's high after two miles then set another goal. Maybe aim for another mile. Or do the same route again. But don't just keep on running until you don't feel like it anymore.

All of us come into life with our subconscious whims, moods, thoughts and beliefs dictating most of our actions. But it doesn't have to be that way.

During this free mini-course, I'm going to help you see exactly what is causing the problems in our lives – and what to do about it. It's only 7 lessons. Commit to yourself to read every single one.

With Love,

Chris

P.S. Some people will say that setting boundaries, time limits and tangible goals for something as intangible as a personal transformation is "unnatural." They'll say that it's not "going with the flow."

In your next lesson, I'll respond to that objection. I think, once you hear my take, you'll agree that NOT setting boundaries is actually what's unnatural.

ACIM - Lesson 30

LESSON 30

God is in everything I see because God is in my mind.

The idea for today is the springboard for vision. From this idea will the world open up before you, and you will look upon it and see in it what you have never seen before. Nor will what you saw before be even faintly visible to you.

Today we are trying to use a new kind of "projection." We are not attempting to get rid of what we do not like by seeing it outside. Instead, we are trying to see in the world what is in our minds, and what we want to recognize is there. Thus, we are trying to join with what we see, rather than keeping it apart from us. That is the fundamental difference between vision and the way you see.

Today's idea should be applied as often as possible throughout the day. Whenever you have a moment or so, repeat it to yourself slowly, looking about you, and trying to realize that the idea applies to everything you do see now, or could see now if it were within the range of your sight.

Real vision is not limited to concepts such as "near" and "far." To help you begin to get used to this idea, try to think of things beyond your present range as well as those you can actually see, as you apply today's idea.

Real vision is not only unlimited by space and distance, but it does not depend on the body's eyes at all. The mind is its only source. To aid in helping you to become more accustomed to this idea as well, devote several practice periods to applying today's idea with your eyes closed, using whatever subjects come to mind, and looking within rather than without. Today's idea applies equally to both.