The idea for today is a beginning step in dispelling the belief that your thoughts have no effect. Everything you see is the result of your thoughts. There is no exception to this fact. Thoughts are not big or little; powerful or weak. They are merely true or false. Those which are true create their own likeness. Those which are false make theirs.
There is no more self-contradictory concept than that of idle thoughts. What gives rise to the perception of a whole world can hardly be called idle. Every thought you have contributes to truth or to illusion; either it extends the truth or it multiplies illusions. You can indeed multiply nothing, but you will not extend it by doing so.
In addition to never being idle, salvation requires that you recognize that every thought you have brings either peace or war; either love or fear. A neutral result is impossible because a neutral thought is impossible. There is such a temptation to dismiss fear thoughts as unimportant, trivial, and not worth bothering about that it is essential you recognize them all as equally destructive but equally unreal. We will practice this idea in many forms before you really understand it.
In applying the idea for today, search your mind for a minute or so, with eyes closed, and actively seek not to overlook any little thought which tends to elude the search. This is quite difficult until you get used to it. You will find that it is still hard for you not to make artificial distinctions. Every thought that occurs to you, regardless of the quality which you assign to it, is a suitable subject for applying today's idea.
In the practice periods, first repeat the idea, and then as each one crosses your mind, hold it in awareness while you tell yourself:
This thought about _ is not a neutral thought.
That thought about _is not a neutral thought.
As usual, use today's idea whenever you are aware of a particular thought which arouses uneasiness.
The following form is suggested for this purpose:
This thought about is not a neutral thought, because I have no neutral thoughts.
Four or five practice periods are recommended, if you find them relatively effortless. If strain is experienced, three will be enough. The length of the exercise period should also be reduced if there is discomfort.
✨ Summary & practice
Every thought is a seed that sprouts.
Lesson 16 addresses an idea that can completely change your way of living: there are no neutral thoughts. This is an initial step to dispel the belief that your thoughts have no effect. The Course is radical: everything you see is the result of your thoughts. There are no exceptions. Thoughts are neither big nor small, powerful nor weak. They are simply true or false. Those that are true create their own likeness; those that are false create theirs. The concept of 'idle thoughts' is a contradiction in itself.
The central idea is that every thought you have contributes either to truth or to illusion. It brings either peace or war, love or fear. A neutral result is impossible because a neutral thought is impossible. The exercise consists of examining your mind for one minute, eyes closed, actively seeking not to let any 'small' thought escape. The Course warns this will be difficult until you are used to it. Every thought that comes to you, regardless of the qualities you assign it, is a suitable subject for applying the idea.
This lesson introduces the theme of the power of thoughts, which will be developed in lessons 17 to 20. Lesson 17 will apply the same logic to perceived objects: if you have no neutral thoughts, you cannot see neutral things. Lessons 18 and 19 will broaden the perspective by showing that the effects of your thoughts affect not only you, because minds are joined. Finally, lesson 20 will mark a turning point with the introduction of the determination to see. This entire block establishes the responsibility and power of your mind.
For today, with eyes closed, examine your mind for one minute. Actively seek not to let any thought pass, even the smallest. For each one, repeat today’s idea. Remember: there is no thought without consequence. Each one builds the world you see. Choose carefully the ones you wish to keep.
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