The idea for today is obviously a continuation and extension of the preceding one. This time, however, specific mind searching periods are necessary in addition to applying the idea to particular situations as they arise. Five practice periods are urged, allowing a full minute for each.
In the practice periods, begin by repeating the idea to yourself. Then close your eyes and search your mind carefully for situations past, present or anticipated, which arouse anger in you. The anger may take the form of any reaction ranging from mild irritation to rage. The degree of the emotion you experience does not matter. You will become increasingly aware that a slight twinge of annoyance is nothing but a veil drawn over intense fury.
Try, therefore, not to let the littlethoughts of anger escape you in the practice periods. Remember that you do not really recognize what arouses anger in you, and nothing that you believe in this connection means anything. You will probably be tempted to dwell more on some situations than on others, on the fallacious grounds that they are more obvious. This is not so. It is merely an example of the belief that some forms of attack are more justified than others.
As you search your mind for all the forms in which attack thoughts present themselves, hold each one in mind and tell yourself:
I am determined to see _ [name of person] differently.
I am determined to see _ [specify the situation] differently.
Try to be as specific as possible. You may, for example, focus your anger on a particular attribute of a particular person, believing that the anger is limited to this aspect. If your perception of the person is suffering from this form of distortion, say:
I am determined to see _ [specify the attribute] in _ [name of person] differently.
✨ Summary & practice
Choosing a new way of seeing every anger
Lesson 21 refines yesterday’s determination: it is not just about seeing, but about seeing things differently. And the Course gives you a very concrete exercise to practice this. Five exercise periods of about one minute are recommended, this time with a more structured mind examination. The idea is to identify everything that arouses anger in you, in all its forms, from the slightest irritation to the fiercest rage. And each time, say: 'I am determined to see this person differently. I am determined to see this situation differently.'
The Course warns you: the degree of emotion does not matter. You will become increasingly aware that a tiny prick of irritation is nothing but a veil drawn over intense fury. So do not let the 'small' angry thoughts escape during the exercise. You may be tempted to linger longer on certain situations, thinking they are more 'obvious.' But this is simply the belief that some forms of attack are more justified than others. The Course asks you to be as precise as possible in identifying anger and its target.
This lesson concretely applies the determination from lesson 20. After saying 'I want to see,' you now specify 'I want to see differently,' and you begin with what causes you the most suffering: your anger. Lessons 22 and 23 will go further by revealing that what you see is a form of vengeance and that you can escape it by releasing attack thoughts. This is a logical progression: first determination, then application to anger, then understanding the mechanism of vengeance, then liberation.
Practice:
Five exercise periods of one minute. Begin by repeating the idea. Close your eyes and search your mind for past, present, or anticipated situations that arouse anger in you. For each situation or person, say: 'I am determined to see ___ differently.' Be as precise as possible. Do not forget the small irritations, they may hide greater fury.
Do not fear your anger. Light can also pass through the darkest clouds if you choose to look at them differently.
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