1. All who believe in separation have a basic fear of retaliation and abandonment. 2They believe in attack and rejection, so that is what they perceive and teach and learn. 3These insane ideas are clearly the result of dissociation and projection. 4What you teach you are, but it is quite apparent that you can teach wrongly, and can therefore teach yourself wrong. 5Many thought I was attacking them, even though it was apparent I was not. 6An insane learner learns strange lessons. 7What you must recognize is that when you do not share a thought system, you are weakening it. 8Those who believe in it therefore perceive this as an attack on them. 9This is because everyone identifies himself with his thought system, and every thought system centers on what you believe you are. 10If the center of the thought system is true, only truth extends from it. 11But if a lie is at its center, only deception proceeds from it.
2. All good teachers realize that only fundamental change will last, but they do not begin at that level. 2Strengthening motivation for change is their first and foremost goal. 3It is also their last and final one. 4Increasing motivation for change in the learner is all that a teacher need do to guarantee change. 5Change in motivation is a change of mind, and this will inevitably produce fundamental change because the mind is fundamental.
3. The first step in the reversal or undoing process is the undoing of the getting concept. 2Accordingly, the Holy Spirit’s first lesson was “To have, give all to all.” 3I said that this is apt to increase conflict temporarily, and we can clarify this still further now. 4At this point, the equality of having and being is not yet perceived. 5Until it is, having appears to be the opposite of giving. 6Therefore, the first lesson seems to contain a contradiction, since it is being learned by a conflicted mind. 7This means conflicting motivation, and so the lesson cannot be learned consistently as yet. 8Further, the mind of the learner projects its own conflict, and thus does not perceive consistency in the minds of others, making him suspicious of their motivation. 9This is the real reason why, in many respects, the first lesson is the hardest to learn. 10Still strongly aware of the ego in yourself, and responding primarily to the ego in others, you are being taught to react to both as if what you do believe is not true.
4. Upside down as always, the ego perceives the first lesson as insane. 2In fact, this is its only alternative since the other possibility, which would be much less acceptable to it, would obviously be that it is insane. 3The ego’s judgment, here as always, is predetermined by what it is. 4The fundamental change will still occur with the change of mind in the thinker. 5Meanwhile, the increasing clarity of the Holy Spirit’s Voice makes it impossible for the learner not to listen. 6For a time, then, he is receiving conflicting messages and accepting both.
5. The way out of conflict between two opposing thought systems is clearly to choose one and relinquish the other. 2If you identify with your thought system, and you cannot escape this, and if you accept two thought systems which are in complete disagreement, peace of mind is impossible. 3If you teach both, which you will surely do as long as you accept both, you are teaching conflict and learning it. 4Yet you do want peace, or you would not have called upon the Voice for peace to help you. 5Its lesson is not insane; the conflict is.
6. There can be no conflict between sanity and insanity. 2Only one is true, and therefore only one is real. 3The ego tries to persuade you that it is up to you to decide which voice is true, but the Holy Spirit teaches you that truth was created by God, and your decision cannot change it. 4As you begin to realize the quiet power of the Holy Spirit’s Voice, and Its perfect consistency, it must dawn on your mind that you are trying to undo a decision that was irrevocably made for you. 5That is why I suggested before that you remind yourself to allow the Holy Spirit to decide for God for you.
7. You are not asked to make insane decisions, although you can think you are. 2It must, however, be insane to believe that it is up to you to decide what God’s creations are. 3The Holy Spirit perceives the conflict exactly as it is. 4Therefore, His second lesson is:
5To have peace, teach peace to learn it.
8. This is still a preliminary step, since having and being are still not equated. 2It is, however, more advanced than the first step, which is really only the beginning of the thought reversal. 3The second step is a positive affirmation of what you want. 4This, then, is a step in the direction out of conflict, since it means that alternatives have been considered, and one has been chosen as more desirable. 5Nevertheless, the term “more desirable” still implies that the desirable has degrees. 6Therefore, although this step is essential for the ultimate decision, it is clearly not the final one. 7Lack of order of difficulty in miracles has not yet been accepted, because nothing is difficult that is wholly desired. 8To desire wholly is to create, and creating cannot be difficult if God Himself created you as a creator.
9. The second step, then, is still perceptual, although it is a giant step toward the unified perception that reflects God’s knowing. 2As you take this step and hold this direction, you will be pushing toward the center of your thought system, where the fundamental change will occur. 3At the second step progress is intermittent, but the second step is easier than the first because it follows. 4Realizing that it must follow is a demonstration of a growing awareness that the Holy Spirit will lead you on.