Last night, as I wove in and out of sleep, this idea was revealed to me: it is desire that is the ground of all unhappiness. Obviously, I felt released from desire, for this to be clear to me. I felt very peaceful. In this state was perfect happiness; I never wanted to leave it. The answer to everything.

 

I also had a very peaceful night’s sleep. I would like to always sleep this way.

 

Very easy. Just ask.

 

 

When I awoke, and it occurred to me to grieve, feel sad and indulge in negative feeling-states, I realized this is how humans act.  It gives them the feeling of going from one crisis to another, always reacting, always wanting, never comfortable.

 

 

But what if, instead, you simply reminded yourself that where there are no desires, there is peace. And then you would start to see all your desires as being the opposite of peace. This would help you to make the conscious choice for peace.

 

I choose peace

 

Release the desire; choose peace instead. You will benefit yourself and all those around you in the most positive, powerful ways. If you truly want to help them, do this.  Affirm to yourself, eyes closed, “I choose peace.”

 

How long can you concentrate?  The first time you tried this, your mind quickly wandered out onto a worrisome byway. You found something to worry about. It was of course something habitual, something your mind comes back and back to, because you train it to, by constantly exposing it to incidences of fear, worry, wanting.

Could you get out in front of that subconscious mind train, and give the choice to the conscious mind? In other words, let all be seen. Let there be light. Be aware of your decision as you are making it.

 

How long can you focus on anything? If you set your mind to it, you can increase it. Let us do that now. It takes only 68 seconds of focused thought to set manifestation in motion.

Take 68 seconds now.

I began by affirming I choose peace, but quite soon my mind had gone down a familiar rabbit hole of worry.  There my mind stayed, but I became conscious again before the end of the time, and affirmed again, “I choose peace.” I saw myself becoming open, with light streaming into me.

Practice these 68-second focused affirmations at least three more times today.

When I begin to obsess and worry, remember: this thought I am having is standing between me and peace. But I want peace. I will now choose peace by renouncing this desire forever.

If you truly want to help all those you are presently worrying about, this is the best thing you can do for them, and all those around you. Your worry about them is the dark glass through which nothing is seen clearly. By dropping anxiety about others, you free them to become perfect, shining versions of themselves.

Let us be still an instant and forget all things we ever learned, all thoughts we had, and every preconception that we hold of what things mean and what their purpose is. Let us remember not our own ideas of what the world is for. We do not know. Let every image held of everyone be loosened from our minds and swept away. Be innocent of judgment, unaware of any thoughts of evil or of good that ever crossed your mind of anyone. Now do you know him not. But you are free to learn of him and learn of him anew. Now is he born again to you, and you are born again to him without the past which sentenced him to die, and you with him. Now is he free to live, as you are free, because an ancient learning passed away and left a place for truth to be reborn.

Chapter 31, Text, A Course in Miracles, “The Simplicity of Salvation”