VII. Distortions of Miracle Impulses

T-1.VII.1. Your distorted perceptions produce a dense cover over miracle impulses, making it hard for them to reach your own awareness. ² The confusion of miracle impulses with physical impulses is a major perceptual distortion. ³ Physical impulses are misdirected miracle impulses. ⁴ All real pleasure comes from doing God's Will. ⁵ This is because not doing it is a denial of Self. ⁶ Denial of Self results in illusions, while correction of the error brings release from it. ⁷ Do not deceive yourself into believing that you can relate in peace to God or to your brothers with anything external.

T-1.VII.2. Child of God, you were created to create the good, the beautiful and the holy. ² Do not forget this. ³ The Love of God, for a little while, must still be expressed through one body to another, because vision is still so dim. ⁴ You can use your body best to help you enlarge your perception so you can achieve real vision, of which the physical eye is incapable. ⁵ Learning to do this is the body's only true usefulness.

T-1.VII.3. Fantasy is a distorted form of vision. ² Fantasies of any kind are distortions, because they always involve twisting perception into unreality. ³ Actions that stem from distortions are literally the reactions of those who know not what they do. ⁴ Fantasy is an attempt to control reality according to false needs. ⁵ Twist reality in any way and you are perceiving destructively. ⁶ Fantasies are a means of making false associations and attempting to obtain pleasure from them. ⁷ But although you can perceive false associations, you can never make them real except to yourself. ⁸ You believe in what you make. ⁹ If you offer miracles, you will be equally strong in your belief in them. ¹⁰ The strength of your conviction will then sustain the belief of the miracle receiver. ¹¹ Fantasies become totally unnecessary as the wholly satisfying nature of reality becomes apparent to both giver and receiver. ¹² Reality is "lost" through usurpation, which produces tyranny. ¹³ As long as a single "slave" remains to walk the earth, your release is not complete. ¹⁴ Complete restoration of the Sonship is the only goal of the miracle-minded.

T-1.VII.4. This is a course in mind training. ² All learning involves attention and study at some level. ³ Some of the later parts of the course rest too heavily on these earlier sections not to require their careful study. ⁴ You will also need them for preparation. ⁵ Without this, you may become much too fearful of what is to come to make constructive use of it. ⁶ However, as you study these earlier sections, you will begin to see some of the implications that will be amplified later on.

T-1.VII.5. A solid foundation is necessary because of the confusion between fear and awe to which I have already referred, and which is often made. ² I have said that awe is inappropriate in connection with the Sons of God, because you should not experience awe in the presence of your equals. ³ However, it was also emphasized that awe is proper in the Presence of your Creator. ⁴ I have been careful to clarify my role in the Atonement without either over- or understating it. ⁵ I am also trying to do the same with yours. ⁶ I have stressed that awe is not an appropriate reaction to me because of our inherent equality. ⁷ Some of the later steps in this course, however, involve a more direct approach to God Himself. ⁸ It would be unwise to start on these steps without careful preparation, or awe will be confused with fear, and the experience will be more traumatic than beatific. ⁹ Healing is of God in the end. ¹⁰ The means are being carefully explained to you. ¹¹ Revelation may occasionally reveal the end to you, but to reach it the means are needed.