“The belief in order of difficulties is the basis for the world’s perception.” (1:1) It rests on differences, on uneven background and shifting foreground, on unequal heights and diverse sizes, on varying degrees of darkness and light, and thousands of contrasts and comparisons in which each thing seen competes with every other thing in order to be recognized, and to be heard. A larger object overshadows a smaller one. A brighter thing draws the attention from another with less intensity of appeal. A louder more persistent voice overshadows a quieter voice. The world gets crazier and louder and more obnoxious as the battle to be seen and heard escalates. A more threatening idea, or one perceived as more desirable by the world’s standards, completely upsets the mental balance. What the body’s eyes behold is only conflict. Peace and understanding are not found there.

Illusions are always illusions of differences. How could it be otherwise? By definition, an illusion is an attempt to make something real that is regarded as of major importance, but is also recognized as being untrue. The mind therefore seeks to make it true out of its intensity of desire to have it for itself. Illusions are travesties of creation; attempts to bring truth to lies. Finding truth unacceptable or even unknowable, the mind revolts against truth and gives itself an illusion of victory. Finding health a burden, it retreats into feverish dreams about the body that require it to have maximum attention -- anything to draw the mind away from the truth that we are as God created us. And in these dreams the mind is separate, different from other minds, with different interests of its own, and able to gratify its needs at the expense of others. You say “listen to me” but you have no time or interest in listening to others; you say “let me speak” thinking others are too young to know anything (forgetting the quote “out of the mouths of babes . . .” can come great strength and wisdom); you say “read my book” but you do not read the books of others as you have no time; you say “buy my product” as it is better than yours; etc.

Where do all these differences come from? They seem to be in the world outside. Yet the mind judges what the eyes behold. It is the mind that interprets the eyes’ messages and gives them their “meaning.” This meaning does not exist in the world outside at all. What is seen as “reality” is simply what the mind prefers at the moment. Its hierarchy of values is projected outward, and it sends the body’s eyes to find it. That is one reason why no two people ever see exactly the same thing -- no two ego minds are alike. The body’s eyes see through differences, and the mind evaluates their messages, and so only the mind is responsible for seeing. It alone decides whether what is seen is real or illusory, desirable or undesirable, pleasurable or painful.

It is in the sorting and the analyzing and figuring and categorizing of the mind where errors in perception enter. And it is in the mind that correction must be made. The mind classifies what the body’s eyes bring to it according to its preconceived values; it is not open but closed. No one and nothing gets a fair shake with the ego perception. Can this confused and senseless “reasoning” be depended on for anything – truly?

There can be no order of difficulty in healing merely because all sickness is illusion. Is it harder to dispel the belief of the insane in a larger hallucination as opposed to a smaller one? Is a louder voice more truthful than a softer one? When you realize that they are ALL illusions, they will disappear. And so it is with healing. Illnesses are not different except in form; all are simply unreal in truth.

The body’s eyes will continue to see differences, but the mind that has let itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them. To the healed mind, all sicknesses are simply unreal. Only two categories (true or false) are meaningful in sorting the messages the mind receives from what appears to be the outside world. Only one is real. Differences cannot exist in reality as reality is One. The answer to sickness of any kind is healing. The one answer to all illusions is trust that only GOD IS.

MANUAL FOR TEACHERS

8. HOW CAN PERCEPTION OF ORDER OF DIFFICULTIES BE AVOIDED?

RECAP

1. In the world of illusion, there are many factors that contribute to the perception of contrast and orders of difficulties – such as big or small, light or dark, quiet or loud, more threatening or alternatively more desirable. Some difficulties loom large in the mind, so overwhelming in fact that you cannot fathom how even GOD can resolve this one! Then you judge other difficulties to be of little or no consequence, to be brushed aside or put on the back burner, or dismissed entirely. Some of these you do not even give to God; you save them to resolve by yourself.

2. Illusions are always illusions of differences. By definition, an illusion is an attempt to make something real that is regarded as of major importance, but is recognized as being untrue. The mind therefore seeks to make it true out of its intensity of desire to have it for itself. It is an attempt to bring truth to a lie – which cannot be done, so the attempt is futile. Yet the mind adopts an illusion of victory, to save itself the embarrassment of failure, and lives the lie as if it were true.

You have become experts at appearing to deceive yourselves and others along with you. And your lies depict these untruths which block the truth and the light, and thus block your awakening. Is this what you would continue to choose? Or is there a better way?

3. So where do these differences come from? Out of the ether? From others? Certainly they appear to be in the world outside yourself. Yet you know there is nothing outside you; all is contained within. Thus, it is surely the mind that shows you what to behold. It is also the mind that interprets the eyes’ messages and gives them their “meaning.” And it is the mind that judges what you behold.

Do you find it revealing to know that the meaning the mind gives to things outside you do not exist AT ALL? That what is seen as reality is simply what the mind prefers?! Only the mind evaluates messages, and only the mind is responsible for seeing. It alone decides whether what is seen is real or illusory, desirable or undesirable, pleasurable or painful.* Remember, there is nothing outside you!

4. It is in the sorting and categorizing of the activities of the mind that errors in perception enter. And, therefore, it is in the mind that correction must be made. The mind classifies, from preconceived values, what is brought to it. Thus, it is imperative that you let go of all your preconceived values and allow your mind to be open to interpretation from Spirit in each and every instance. Though situations may appear to be the same, they are not. They may appear similar, perhaps, but not the same.

Yet all illusions are the same in that they are not real. The properties that appear to make some illusions real and some less real are really irrelevant, for their properties are as unreal as the illusions are. The body’s eyes will continue to see differences, but the mind that has let itself be healed will no longer acknowledge them!

5. All worldly judgments rest upon the world’s perception. All true judgment rests with the Holy Spirit. Therefore choose Spirit as your Guide in the world, and allow Him to sort the true from the false. “Judgment” is just too difficult for you to undertake without Him.* So give all judgment to Him Who knows. The one answer to all illusions is trust. The One Answer to everything is the Holy Spirit.

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*Your eyes and mind bring things to you according your choice of Guide/guide. The Holy Spirit will bring you peace, joy, abundance, truth and love. The ego will be thrilled to bring you anything BUT peace, joy, abundance, truth and love. Are you glad you choose Spirit to guide your life? Do you will everyone choose Spirit?