Lesson 12

W-pI.12.1. The importance of this idea lies in the fact that it contains a correction for a major perceptual distortion. ² You think that what upsets you is a frightening world, or a sad world, or a violent world, or an insane world. ³ All these attributes are given it by you. ⁴ The world is meaningless in itself.

W-pI.12.2. These exercises are done with eyes open. ² Look around you, this time quite slowly. ³ Try to pace yourself so that the slow shifting of your glance from one thing to another involves a fairly constant time interval. ⁴ Do not allow the time of the shift to become markedly longer or shorter, but try, instead, to keep a measured, even tempo throughout. ⁵ What you see does not matter. ⁶ You teach yourself this as you give whatever your glance rests on equal attention and equal time. ⁷ This is a beginning step in learning to give them all equal value.

W-pI.12.3. As you look about you, say to yourself:

and so on, using whatever descriptive terms happen to occur to you. ³ If terms which seem positive rather than negative occur to you, include them. ⁴ For example, you might think of "a good world," or "a satisfying world." ⁵ If such terms occur to you, use them along with the rest. ⁶ You may not yet understand why these "nice" adjectives belong in these exercises but remember that a "good world" implies a "bad" one, and a "satisfying world" implies an "unsatisfying" one. ⁷ All terms which cross your mind are suitable subjects for today's exercises. ⁸ Their seeming quality does not matter.

W-pI.12.4. Be sure that you do not alter the time intervals between applying today's idea to what you think is pleasant and what you think is unpleasant. ² For the purposes of these exercises, there is no difference between them. ³ At the end of the practice period, add:

W-pI.12.5. What is meaningless is neither good nor bad. ² Why, then, should a meaningless world upset you? ³ If you could accept the world as meaningless and let the truth be written upon it for you, it would make you indescribably happy. ⁴ But because it is meaningless, you are impelled to write upon it what you would have it be. ⁵ It is this you see in it. ⁶ It is this that is meaningless in truth. ⁷ Beneath your words is written the Word of God. ⁸ The truth upsets you now, but when your words have been erased, you will see His. ⁹ That is the ultimate purpose of these exercises.

W-pI.12.6. Three or four times is enough for practicing the idea for today. ² Nor should the practice periods exceed a minute. ³ You may find even this too long. ⁴ Terminate the exercises whenever you experience a sense of strain.