Day 37

Today's Lesson:

My holiness blesses the world.

Today we start to see how one person (I) really can be the salvation of the world. My purpose is to see the world through my own holiness - the world and I are blessed together. The lesson says that no one loses; nothing is taken away from anyone; everyone gains through my holy vision. This idea is the end of sacrifice because it is available to everyone. And each of us is entitled to everything because it is our birthright as children of God.

The lesson goes on to say that there is no other way in which the idea of sacrifice can be removed from the world's thinking. Any other way of seeing will inevitably demand payment of someone or something and, as a result, the perceiver would lose; and he would have no idea why he is losing.

We are to practice today's lesson four times throughout the day, for five minutes at a time. It is to be used while thinking of objects as well as people. It is particularly helpful to apply it silently to anyone we meet, especially if someone seems to cause an adverse reaction in us. As we offer a silent blessing to someone else, we automatically keep it in our own awareness.

Miracles I'm noticing:

Recently I've begun to see how I am much more confident in talking about what I'm learning here and in other study I've been doing over the past four years or so. Where I used to rely on books and studies to validate and verify my own thoughts, I can think of two examples yesterday where I didn't take any reference materials with me and just talked from my heart. I was interviewed on a radio talk show yesterday about my book (The 100% Factor) and I didn't do any preparation at all - I just talked. I remember a day when I would have been very nervous about having anyone ask me something spontaneously - especially something that was being aired or recorded - because I wouldn't trust that I knew what to say. The other incident yesterday was with a client as we were planning their annual leadership retreat. I didn't take anything with me other than my book, and just talked about what I've come to know about leadership and passion and inspiration in the workplace. I even quoted my new (and higher) rates (it's been 2 years since this client has worked with me) and didn't flinch. They accepted the rate and said they would pay me whatever I ask as long as I deliver what I say I will. I told them I guarantee it.

I noticed this, too, when I was interviewed for Lisa Haneberg's podcast a couple of weeks ago. I felt very confident and articulate as I spoke from my knowing, not from what I thought she would want to hear.

This new knowing might not seem to apply directly to today's lesson, but when I consider that my holiness blesses the world, I can see how each of those encounters really did come from my holiness and that is why I was confident (note: not cocky - cocky is ego, confidence is Spirit). I very much know the difference now. My ego kept me small and insecure in meetings and interviews, even though people from outside might not have noticed because I worked so hard to put on the right face and say the right things. But I know the difference. Listening to Spirit is SO much easier - and I know, from this study, that it's supposed to be easy.

This Course is all about the distinction between love and fear; but it does not aim at teaching the meaning of love because, as it says in the introduction, "that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite." That is very reassuring and helps me see that it is my holiness - through Spirit - that blesses the world.

What are you noticing?