These thoughts do not mean anything.
These thoughts do not mean anything. They are like the things I see in this room [on this street, from this window, in this place].
Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. Then apply the idea to them. If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are “bad.” You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called “good” or “bad.” This is why they do not mean anything.
In selecting the subjects for the application of today’s idea, the usual specificity is required. Do not be afraid to use “good” thoughts as well as “bad.” None of them represents your real thoughts, which are being covered up by them. The “good” ones are but shadows of what lies beyond, and shadows make sight difficult. The “bad” ones are blocks to sight, and make seeing impossible. You do not want either.
This is a major exercise, and will be repeated from time to time in somewhat different form. The aim here is to train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful. It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you, and the meaningful within. It is also the beginning of training your mind to recognize what is the same and what is different.
In using your thoughts for application of the idea for today, identify each thought by the central figure or event it contains; for example:
This thought about _______ does not mean anything.
It is like the things I see in this room [on this street, and so on].
You can also use the idea for a particular thought that you recognize as harmful. This practice is useful, but is not a substitute for the more random procedures to be followed for the exercises. Do not, however, examine your mind for more than a minute or so. You are too inexperienced as yet to avoid a tendency to become pointlessly preoccupied.
Further, since these exercises are the first of their kind, you may find the suspension of judgment in connection with thoughts particularly difficult. Do not repeat these exercises more than three or four times during the day. We will return to them later.
2 Responses
Leave a Comment
May 13th, 2008 at 12:31 am
What does today’s lesson mean to me?
This means that all the meaninglessness I see in everything comes from thoughts that are meaningless. To let go of the meaning I have given everything, I must let go of the idea that my thoughts are meaningful. Then I can reach the point where they can be replaced with my real thoughts.
How can I apply this lesson in my life right now?
When I begin to feel overwhelmed with ego thoughts, I can remind myself that these thoughts are meaningless and that I have access to my real thoughts. Before I can be aware of meaningful thoughts I must fully realize that I am not thinking them right now. This will take consistent effort on my part. These simple beginning steps are really essential to this process.
My message from Holy Spirit.
You have been doing this for a long time, Myron. Every time you notice a thought that makes you feel bad and then bring that thought to me for correction, you are doing this lesson. But now I want you to include all of your thoughts, not just the ones you have judged as bad. All of your thoughts are meaningless. That is the point of this lesson, to help you see this.
You are thinking that this will be very hard, and that it will take all of your time today. Don’t make this hard, Myron. You don’t have to catch every little thought. In fact, that is just an ego concept. One thought, used correctly, would be representative of all thoughts. Just keep your mind open to Me. Remind yourself throughout today of your holy purpose. I will bring to your mind thoughts to use as practice. All I need is your willingness.
My message to Holy Spirit
Thank you, Holy Spirit. I completely trust you, and I look forward to doing this with you. I had not thought that doing these lessons is a holy endeavor, but I see that it is. I can’t believe that I used to think these first lessons were silly. How could I have failed to see their importance?
May 25th, 2009 at 3:00 pm
I had a thought, to write these words, but that thought was meaningless. So why do it? I dunno.
I think that my thoughts may be meaningless, but they sure help in making decisions and doing things.
I have had the thought before, that these thoughts of mind were pointless and silly, but then, because these thoughts were pointless, and meaningless, there is nothing else left to do but to forget them and go back into the world of doing and decisions.
So why am I back here, freezing my thoughtstream to dissect it. This thought is also meaningless, so why am i doing it?
Anyway, so there it is.