 We continue on today with Chapter 9. The unhealed healer, the ego's plan for forgiveness, is far more widely used than God's. This is because it is undertaken by unhealed healers and is therefore of the ego. Let us consider the unhealed healer more carefully now. By definition, he is trying to give what he has not received. If an unhealed healer is a theologian, for example, he may begin with the premise, I am a miserable sinner and so are you. If he is a psychotherapist, he is more likely to start with the equally incredible belief that attack is real for both himself and the patient, but that it does not matter for either of them. I have repeatedly said that beliefs of the ego cannot be shared, and this is why they are unreal. How, then, can uncovering them make them real? Every healer who searches fantasies for truth must be unhealed because he does not know where to look for truth and therefore does not have the answer to the problem of healing. There is an advantage to bringing nightmares into awareness, but only to teach that they are not real and that anything they contain is meaningless. The unhealed healer cannot do this because he does not believe it. All unhealed healers follow the ego's plan for forgiveness in one form or another. If they are theologians, they are likely to condemn themselves, teach condemnation and advocate a fearful solution. Projecting condemnation on to God, they make him appear retaliative and fear his retribution. What they have done is merely to identify with the ego and by perceiving what it does condemn themselves because of this confusion. It is understandable that there have been revolts against this concept, but to revolt against it is still to believe in it. Some newer forms of the ego's plan are as unhelpful as the older ones because form does not matter and the content has not changed. In one of the newer forms, for example, a psychotherapist may interpret the ego's symbols in a nightmare and then use them to prove that the nightmare is real. Having made it real, he then attempts to dispel its effects by depreciating the importance of the dreamer. This would be a healing approach if the dreamer were also identified as unreal. Yet if the dreamer is equated with the mind, the mind's corrective power through the Holy Spirit is denied. This is a contradiction even in the ego's terms and one which it usually notes even in its confusion. If the way to counteract fear is to reduce the importance of the mind, how can this build ego's strength? Such evident inconsistencies account for why no one has really explained what happens in psychotherapy. Nothing really does. Nothing real has happened to the unhealed healer and he must learn from his own teaching. His ego will always seek to get something from the situation. The unhealed healer therefore does not know how to give and consequently cannot share. He cannot correct because he is not working correctively. He believes that it is up to him to teach the patient what is real although he does not know it himself. What then should happen when God said, let there be light, there was light? Can you find light by analyzing the darkness as the psychotherapist does or like the theologian by acknowledging darkness in yourself and looking for a distant light to remove it? Healing is not mysterious. Nothing will change unless it is understood since light is understanding. A quote, miserable sinner cannot be healed without magic nor can an unimportant mind esteem itself without magic. Both forms of the ego's approach then must arrive at an impasse, the characteristic, quote, impossible situation to which the ego always leads. It may help someone to point out where he is heading but the point is lost unless he has also helped to change his direction. The unhealed healer cannot do this for him since he cannot do it for himself. The only meaningful contribution the healer can make is to present an example of one whose direction has been changed for him and who is no longer believing in nightmares of any kind. The light in his mind will therefore answer the questioner who must decide with God that there is light because he sees it. And by his acknowledgement the healer knows it is there. That is how perception ultimately is translated into knowledge. The miracle worker begins by perceiving light and translates his perception into sureness by continually extending it and accepting its acknowledgement. Its effects assure him it is there. A therapist does not heal. He lets healing be. He can point to darkness but he cannot bring light of himself for light is not of him. Yet being for him it must also be for his patient. The Holy Spirit is the only therapist. He makes healing clear in any situation in which he is the guide. You can only let him fulfill his function. He needs no help for this. He will tell you exactly what to do to help anyone he sends to you for help and will speak to him through you if you do not interfere. Remember that you choose the guide for helping and the wrong choice will not help. But remember also that the right one will. Trust him for his help is his function and he is of God. As you awaken other minds to the Holy Spirit through him and not yourself, you will understand that you are not obeying the laws of this world. But the laws you are obeying work. The good is what works. Is a sound though insufficient statement. Only the good can work. Nothing else works at all. This course offers a very direct and very simple learning situation and provides the guide who tells you what to do. If you do it, you will see that it works. Its results are more convincing than its words. They will convince you that the words are true. By following the right guide, you will learn the simplest of all lessons. By their fruits you shall know them and they shall know themselves. And from the workbook, Lesson 69 My grievances hide the light of the world in me. No one can look upon what your grievances conceal. Because your grievances are hiding the light of the world in you, everyone stands in darkness and you beside him. But as the veil of your grievances is lifted, you are released with him. Share your salvation now with him who stood beside you when you were in hell. He is your brother in the light of the world that saves you both. Today, let us make another real attempt to reach the light in you. Before we undertake this in our more extended practice period, let us devote several minutes to thinking about what we are trying to do. We are literally attempting to get in touch with salvation of the world. We are trying to see past the veil of darkness that keeps it concealed. We are trying to let the veil be lifted and to see the tears of God's Son disappear in the sunlight. Let us begin our longer practice period today with the full realization that this is so and with real determination to reach what is dearer to us than all else. Salvation is our only need. There is no other purpose here and no other function to fulfill. Learning salvation is our only goal. Let us end the ancient search today by finding the light in us and holding it up for everyone who searches with us to look upon and rejoice. Very quietly now, with your eyes closed, try to let go of all the content that generally occupies your consciousness. Think of your mind as a vast circle surrounded by a layer of heavy, dark clouds. You can see only the clouds because you seem to be standing outside the circle and quite apart from it. From where you stand, you can see no reason to believe there is a brilliant light hidden by the clouds. The clouds seem to be the only reality. They seem to be all there is to see. Therefore, you do not attempt to go through them and pass them which is the only way in which you would be really convinced of their lack of substance. We will make this attempt today after you have thought about the importance of what you are trying to do for yourself in the world. Try to settle down in perfect stillness remembering only how much you want to reach the light in you today. Now, determine to go past the clouds. Reach out and touch them in your mind. Brush them aside with your hand. Feel them resting on your cheeks and forehead and eyelids as you go through them. Go on. Clouds cannot stop you. If you are doing the exercises properly, you will begin to feel a sense of being lifted up and carried ahead. Your little effort and small determination call on the power of the universe to help you and God himself will raise you from darkness into light. You are in accord with his will. You cannot fail because your will is his. Have confidence in your father today and be certain that he has heard you and answered you. You may not recognize his answer yet, but you can indeed be sure that it is given you and you will yet receive it. Try as you attempt to go through the clouds to the light to hold this confidence in your mind. Try to remember that you are at last joining your will to God's. Try to keep the thought clearly in mind that what you undertake with God must succeed. Then, let the power of God work in you and through you that his will and yours be done. In the shorter practice periods, which you will want to do as often as possible in view of the importance of today's idea to you and your happiness, remind yourself that your grievances are hiding the light of the world from your awareness. Remind yourself also that you are not searching for it alone and that you do know where to look for it. Say then, my grievances hide the light of the world in me. I cannot see what I have hidden, yet I want to let it be revealed to me for my salvation and the salvation of the world. Also, be sure to tell yourself, if I hold this grievance, the light of the world will be hidden from me. If you are tempted to hold anything against anyone today, my grievances hide the light of the world in me. So today, we let go of the belief in the unhealed healer. We must experience what we would give. We must experience what we would extend. The light of the world must be experienced before it can be extended. I must know with certainty the mind that is in me to extend this gift. There is no other way. All forms of the unhealed healer are the belief that error is possible. These are the forms of the belief that darkness is real, that error is real, that evil is real. And this is not true. Today, I accept the truth about myself, that I may bless and heal and comfort. I have no other function today, or ever. I have no other purpose or meaning. I cannot share unreal beliefs. I can only share the thoughts of God. Today, I join with the Holy Spirit. I look past all substitutes for healing and open to the light that is in me, that moves through me, that I may realize that I am the light. God has said, let there be light. Today, I acknowledge this light. This light is the source of healing. Today, I let the light be. I let the healing be. Knowing the Holy Spirit is the only therapist. The Holy Spirit makes healing clear in any situation in which He is the guide. Today, I will let Him fulfill His function. Knowing He will tell me exactly what to do to help anyone He sends for me to help, the Holy Spirit will speak through me. If I allow it, again today I let healing be. I acknowledge by their fruits, you shall know them, and they shall know themselves. Sink down to reach the light within. Sinking down past the veil of darkness. He seals the light. Today, salvation is our only goal. My grievances hide the light of the world in me. Today, I shall let them go.