You who were created by Love like Itself can hold no grievances and know your
Self. To hold a grievance is to forget who you are. To hold a grievance is to
see yourself as a body. It is the decision to let the ego rule your mind and to
condemn the body to death.
Perhaps you do not yet fully realize just what holding grievances does to your
awareness. It seems to split you off from your Source, and make you unlike Him.
It makes you believe that he is like what you think you have become, for no-one
can conceive of his Creator as unlike himself.
Shut off from your Self, Who remains aware of His likeness to His Creator, your
Self seems to sleep, while the part of your mind that weaves illusions in its
sleep appears to be awake. Can all this arise from holding grievances? Oh, yes!
For he who holds grievances denies he was created by Love, and his Creator has
become fearful to him in his dreams of hate. Who can dream of hatred and not
fear God?
It is as sure that those who hold grievances will redefine God in their own
image as it is certain that God created them like Himself and defined them as
part of Him. It is as sure that those who hold grievances will suffer guilt as
it is certain that those who forgive will find peace. It is as sure that those
who hold grievances will forget who they are as it is certain that those who
forgive will remember. Would you not be willing to relinquish your grievances if
you believed all this were so?
Perhaps you do not think you can let all your grievances go. That, however, is
simply a question of motivation. Today we will try to find out how you would
feel without them. If you succeed even by ever so little, there will never be a
problem in motivation ever again.
Begin today's extended practice period by searching your mind for those
against whom you hold what you regard as major grievances. Some of these will be
quite easy to find. Then think of the seemingly minor grievances you hold
against those you like, and even think you love. It will quickly become apparent
that there is no-one against whom you do not cherish grievances of some sort.
This has left you alone in all the universe in your perception of yourself.
Determine now to see all these people as friends. Say to them all collectively, thinking of each one in turn as you do so:
"I would see you as my friend,
that I may remember you are part of me,
and come to know myself."
Spend the remainder of the practice period trying to think of yourself as completely at peace with everyone and everything, safe in a world which protects you and loves you, and which you love in return. Try to feel safety surrounding you, hovering over you, and holding you up. Try to believe, however briefly, that nothing can harm you in any way. At the end of the practice period tell yourself:
"Love holds no grievances.
When I let all my grievances go
I will know I am perfectly safe."
The short practice periods should include a quick application of today's idea in this form, whenever any thought of grievance arises against anyone, physically present or not:
"Love holds no grievances.
Let me not betray my Self."
In addition, repeat the idea several times an hour in this form:
"Love holds no grievances.
I would wake to my Self by laying
all my grievances aside and wakening in Him."
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