第三章 思維再訓練
學習，在某種程度上需要專注和研究。
這是訓練思維的課程。
好學生自己會安排學習研究的時間。
顯然，你並沒有這麼做，既然我們是在合作，現在我要明白的指派功課。
相較之下，比爾更了解研讀筆記的需要，但你們兩個人都沒有意識到，
你們一直以來所面臨的許多問題，也許已經在裡面有了解答。
你們根本不把筆記認真當回事。
比爾時常泛泛的說，“答案可能在筆記裡”，但卻不去找。
他相信，即使他讀了筆記，在整本筆記完成之前，是不可能真正對他有幫助。
首先，除非試著去做，他無法確定這是真的。
其次，只要你們兩個願意的話，筆記是會完成的。
你們隱約的知道，這課程是作為一種準備之用。我只能說，你們都還沒有準備好。
我覺得很有趣，當你提醒比爾，說他也同樣的被選定，來做某些意料不到的事，
而比爾卻說他沒有興趣知道是什麼事。
這漠不關心的態度，是他害怕時的典型反應。
你們的行為清楚的顯示，興趣和恐懼湊不在一起。
精神障礙是一種防禦措施，除了救贖之外，可以被用於錯誤或真相。
在實相世界，這是一個暫時的設施，
用來預先制止頑強但誤導的意誌所帶來的錯誤創作能力。
是有必要，將這適當的防禦視為真實，否則它無法發揮功效。
這個課程不僅涉及個人，
同時也牽連到當事人的父母、兄弟、姐妹、和所有與他有密切關係的人。
體驗的價值取決於各別學習者的特殊需要。
明確的說，一個人學習不佳，是因為他正步向更好的學習能力。
如果使用錯誤（或使用攻擊），精神障礙，也可能是不適應的防禦。
這導致一種精神病（或擾亂）症狀，也就是所謂的“假性障礙症”。
你們兩個人的表現一直都是這樣。
比爾甚至裝得好像他不了解自己本行的特殊語言，
也假裝不懂我的話，而你則假裝無法閱讀。
這種行為代表你們兩人對自己和對我的聯合攻擊，因為它使你們的思維軟弱，
而使我無能為力。
記住，這使你們處於真正恐懼的境況。
如果你們無法了解自己或我的思維，你們就不會懂得什麼是真正的意願。
正如我們說過的，即使你們依據真正的意願而行動，
但因為不了解真正的意願，所以無法避免衝突。
以下的課程，大都筑基於前面的課程，所以必需去研讀前面的部分。
否則，當意料不到的機會來臨時，你們將會非常害怕，而無法建設性的面對。
如果你們研讀筆記，你們將看到一些明顯的涵義與用途，
除非你們仍然堅持運用精神障礙的錯誤防御手段。
請記住，上面描述的建設性用途，不可能是你們真正原本的工具。
而你們使用這個防禦的方式尤其不適當，我只能敦促你們避免使用它。
由於大多數人很容易混淆“恐懼”和“敬畏”，堅實的基礎是目前所必要的。
你記得我們曾說過，將敬畏與上主的聖子相聯繫是不適宜的，
因為你不應該對自己的平輩感到敬畏。
但強調的是，敬畏是靈魂面對它的創作者時的適當反應。
到目前為止，本課程只間接訴諸於上主，甚而很少直接的提到祂。
我一再強調，由於我們固有的平等地位，敬畏並不適用於對我。
我毫不誇大也不隱瞞，小心的澄清自己在救贖的角色。
與你們的關係，我也嘗試著同樣確切明白的表達。
然而，下一步，是直接臨近上主。
如果沒有做好完全的準備，就開始這一步，將是非常不明智的，
因為敬畏與恐懼還是會被混淆，而所體驗到的將是創傷多於祝福。
最終的治愈取決於上主。方法已在筆記中詳細解釋過。
啟示，偶爾也會顯示結果給你，但到達目標，方法是必要的。
（下面採用海倫口述，不在筆記裡。）
以下是唯一需要詳盡記錄的，關於錯誤如何干擾了準備。
這里特別提到的事件，可以是任何事件，與其特殊的影響無關。
這裡要指出的重點，是過程，而不是結果。
這些信念，和錯誤思想的荒謬前題，不管發生在那裡都是很好的例子。
下面所述事例，除了它們的特質，並沒有其它重要性。
如果這是個真正的思維訓練課程，那麼這一節的整個價值，只在告訴你不可以做什麼。
當然，正面的途徑是更具建設性的。
注意思維，可以在你願意的任何時刻，防止這類事件的發生。
（接下來是筆記）
告訴比爾，他昨天之所以那麼緊張勞累，是因為他容許自己擁有引起恐懼的態度。
這都是些暫短的纖細意願，而不是嚴重的錯誤意願，
但除非他注意這類事，否則他會覺得筆記很可怕，
以他目前的狀況，這必然會導致他錯誤的疏離。
他莫名其妙的激怒是不可寬恕的，只有他能原諒自己，但他卻沒有這麼做。
你是原諒了他，但我認為你這麼做，是帶著壓迫感。
很不幸，這削減了你當時治愈比爾的能力，也阻礙了你後來和劉易斯的交流，
他們倆確實表現的很愚蠢。通常一次一件蠢事就夠了。
當所有蠢事湊在一起，你就幾乎陷入誤用精神障礙的境地。
當時比爾削減了自己的能力，失去了奇蹟思維，
首先他沒有邀請Dora順路搭他的出租車。
既便她不想搭他的車，她也會感覺他的好意。
在人類的錯誤行為中，大概沒有比這種以過錯抵製過錯的方式，
更能引起恐懼的（就意願與行為的矛盾而論）。
結果可能是彼此激怒對方。
比爾以自己的愚蠢來應對Dora的愚蠢，所有肯定能造成恐懼的因素都齊備了。
比爾應該注意到，他很少需要等出租車。
他認為扶著車門讓那位女士上車，就是盡了照顧的義務，但這是他被誤導的信念。
信念就是思想，是受到基督教導，而不是基督所控制。
實際上，將出租車讓給她，他對你很不厚道。
很明顯的你是在寒顫著，而且也非常晚了。
以為將出租車讓給她，能彌補他早先的錯誤，是不正確的，反而更導向進一步的錯誤。
如果，他請求教導，而不是試圖獨自去彌補，就不會有任何出租車的困難情況。
誰也不必要在那裡等車。
比爾最初對Dora的怠慢，出於他察覺到自己必需得趕回家，
這反而使他無法受益於奇蹟的省時措施。如果他適當的運用時間，他會更早到家。
你仍然為所承受的壓力而緊張（參見上文），
而對站在門邊阻礙你開門的女孩子相當不耐煩。
她的存在，使得每次門被打開的時間，比平常要久些，讓你感到很冷，所以你惱怒。
實際上，那女孩子是在照顧站在外面的小孩，而他們兩個人是真正的智障。
你是否記得，那個大女孩很猶疑的問你關於公共汽車的事，
而當時你很清楚她是極端的不穩定。
明智之舉是在當時建立她的信心，而不是把她當作愚蠢。
這減低了你自己的效率，而當時唯一挽救你的是，
在出租車裡你還記得問我關於筆記的事，而不是自認為你必需安排次日的會面與討論。
比爾已經被誤導了，他不認為自己的意願，
（他以最近的筆記為藉口來替自己的意願辯白~誤用真相只為了自身的利益）
可能有問題。
（這裡你自己作了拙劣的筆記，因為你生氣他記得這些。
你在出租車裡嘗試正確意願，但不太成功。現在錯誤顯示出來了。）
因此，比爾使自己處在恐懼的體驗之下，而不是在愛的迴響之中。
（海倫說她本來打算寫“一個卓越的位置”，但沒有寫。
答复：你是對的，在這裡不該誤用“卓越”，請把它畫掉。
你「仍然」在生氣。給「錯誤創作」一個卓越的位置，不是解決問題的正確方法。）
那的確是沒有禮貌。（沒有必要用“的確”，這是你「自己」的錯誤，
我沒有任何責怪之意。我只是設法在這段期間，創造更好的學習條件。
為了「非常」好的原因，我們希望盡可能減少干擾。）
現在回頭來談比爾，他「是」沒有禮貌，當他告訴你，「他」要保留筆記的原稿，
他「自己」決定要復印一份，
然後以他錯誤的解釋來修改我所說關於筆記是“對別人有用”的。
事實上，如果他再讀一遍實際的引述，他會知道「真正」的意思是“對「他」有用”。
「你」是那樣解釋的，坦白說當時我就很清楚。
這類事經常發生。
然而，應該注意，結果不僅是比爾的計劃完全多餘，
而且也沒有發揮到讓他用筆記幫助「自己」的功效。
也提醒你，不要太自滿，你也常常這樣。
比爾不合宜的對「你」說，他要「確定」原稿沒有遺失或弄髒。
很明顯的，已經決定「他」要怎麼做，可從未想過，
「有」可能是「他」自己會弄丟或弄髒原稿，尤其是他沒有信託於我。
放下這傲慢自大，他會更快樂。
他應該注意到，如果不是他「已經」“收不到電訊”，這事大概不會發生。
請「務必」告訴他，這句俏皮話是向他再次證明我沒有生氣。
如果他不了解，或不喜歡，我「知道」那就「非常」不妙。
因為「他」使我處在很難幫助他的境況。
但我要他知道，我「非常」清楚，他現在極少犯這種錯誤。
在這方面，他歷經了「非常」漫長的心路。
很可惜，他竟然讓自己在這件事上蒙受了這麼多的困苦。
我向「你」建議，我們為他祈禱，我請求你完全的合作。
這將改正「你的」錯誤，並幫助他對書櫥的工程有更好的反應，
不然的話，可能因為錯誤的投射，而導致被誤用。
如果將存貯的問題留給我來解決，書櫥不會是問題，或甚而不需要書櫥。
我許諾過，要引導你「脫離」困境，所以一定不會為你製造麻煩。
意思是你不要自己去解決。對我來說，存貯問題，不會比空間問題更難解決。
（參考下面奇蹟工作者特殊原則的批註。）
在我們開始為比爾祈禱時，你表現得很好，但結束時就不好了。
這是因為你早先已經犯了一些錯。
你錯了，因為比爾批評Rose時你覺得高興，
你也不應該和比爾一起笑謔Zanvil對Rose誇張的描述。
你可以和比爾一起笑，但「不應該」是嘲笑Rose。
這「絕不」是真正的禮貌。你應該知道，所有上主的孩子都應該得到完全的禮貌對待。
你「絕不」應該將自己的快樂建築在別人的痛苦上。
當你打電話叫比爾參加你、Gene、和Anne的午餐時，「你」應該先問問我。
實際上，你根本不應該告訴Anne你會打電話給比爾。
你應該「先」問比爾，「他」要不要來，然後再回電給「ANNE」。
當然他來了最好，但這與真正的問題無關。
待人的方式只有始終如一的禮貌，不管是多麼細微的事都一樣。
這是應該培養的「極具治愈作用」的習慣。
比爾的回話，是他自己悲傷矛盾狀態一個清楚的陳述。
他說，“我不想參加，但那樣顯得沒有禮貌，所以我還是去罷。
”「任何」殷勤禮貌的邀請，「總是」應該受到尊重，雖然不一定都要被接受。
但是，如果沒有親切的回應，結果就會有被壓迫的感覺。
這「總是」意願分裂的反應。
比爾沒有以親切的「行動」來解決問題。
這頓午餐不須要在精神上或肉體上給他壓力，也沒有什麼他“需要逃離”的必要。
這是無益的退步。比爾將不時的體驗這種需求，直到他願意去了解，
沒有什麼是他需要逃避的。
要掙脫錯誤創作的鍊子，非常困難，甚至於最簡單的錯誤想法，都會產生錯誤創作。
借用你自己的話，“這種人類的悲劇，預防容易，消除難。”
你們兩人必須學會不要讓這種鏈鎖反應「啟動」。
一旦啟動了，你們「不」可能控制它，因為所有的人、事、物都將被捲入錯誤的投射，
而相應的產生錯誤的解讀。「沒有」愛的人，看不到可愛的。
因為他們在創造醜陋。
海倫，你在喬納森面前寫這些筆記，確實不是正確思維的行動。
（這次你寫了“喬納森”，雖然先前提到他時故意使用他的真名“劉易斯”。
當然，你怎麼叫他都不重要，但「注意」，
那時你「自在」的去「選擇」「你」喜歡使用的名字。
現在，你是被迫稱呼他“喬納森”，因為你在他前面寫筆記攻擊他，
所以現在回到“保護他名字”的魔術策略。）
（海倫考慮打電話給比爾，但舉棋不定，正想起來打，但記得詢問。
答復是：八點半給他電話。如果他打來，那更好，但他有可能不打。
如果他不打來，你應該設法打給他，而如果他決定「他不在」，你就給他留話說不要緊。
仍然保持親切和藹的態度，留話應該用柔和的語氣。）
（結果比爾給海倫打了電話）
不用再講了，不然我們可能花費好幾個小時在這上面，想想我們今天所浪費的時間。
「何況」所有筆記是為了一個更美好的意向，並不是用來清理垃圾的，
而這樣越清垃圾越多。同時，時間「有」更好的用途。
我希望能夠花些時間來更正以前的筆記，這是複習之前的重要步驟。
關於“以愛代替仇恨（或恐懼）”，有一個主要觀點必需闡明。
（不，海倫，「不要」拿這個去查對比爾好心替你打字在卡片上的禱告詞。
那「是」他親切的付出，並且「你」當時也歡喜的接納了。
為什麼你要首先向「他」開刀，而剝奪這項善意付出的價值呢?）
（明顯的，海倫還沒有在她的正確思維里，因而筆記沒有繼續下去。
但是，比爾後來建議，應該用“修正”或“正確”而不是“取代”。
當時他相當肯定，而他是完全正確的。
「他」之所以必要做這個更正，是因為“取代”這個詞，
最初是他的選擇，而且反映了他自己短暫的誤解。
不管怎樣，是禮貌也是必要由他自己來修改，
這表示他自己有了更好的理解，也避免別人的更正，那樣會顯得沒有禮貌。）
Chapter 3 – Retraining the Mind
T 3 A. Introduction (*N 296 5:145)
T 3 A 1. All learning involves attention and study at some level. This course is a MIND-TRAINING course. Good students assign study periods for themselves. However, since this obvious step has not occurred to you, and since we are cooperating in this, I will make the obvious assignment now.
T 3 A 2. B is better at understanding the need to study the notes than you are, but neither of you realizes that many of the problems you keep being faced with may ALREADY have been solved there. YOU do not think of the notes in this way at all. B DOES from time to time, but he generally says, “It's probably in the notes,” and DOESN'T look it up. He believes that, although he reads them over, they cannot REALLY help him until they are complete.
T 3 A 3. First of all, he cannot be sure of this unless he tries. Second, they would BE completed if both of you so willed.
T 3 A 4. You vaguely know that the course is intended for some sort of preparation. I can only say that you are not prepared.
T 3 A 5. I was amused when you reminded Bill that he, too, was being prepared for something quite unexpected, and he said, he was not at all curious about what it was. This disinterest is very characteristic of him when he is afraid. Interest and fear do NOT go together, as your respective behavior clearly shows.
T 3 A 6. Mental retardation is a defense which, like the others EXCEPT the Atonement, can be used on behalf of error or truth, as elected. When it occurs in REALITY, it is a temporary device, agreed on beforehand, to check the miscreative abilities of strong but misdirected wills.
T 3 A 7. It is necessary that this appropriate use of the defense BE considered real, because otherwise it cannot serve. The lesson involves not only the individual himself, but also his parents, siblings, and all of those who come in close relation with him. T(121) -120 The VALUE of the experience depends on the need of each particular learner. The person himself is a POOR learner, by definition, only as a step toward changing from a bad to a good one.
T 3 A 8. Mental retardation can also be used as a maladaptive defense, if the wrong (or attack) side is employed. This produces the “pseudo-retardation syndrome” which is justly classified as a psychiatric (or disturbed-level) symptom . Both of you do this all the time. Bill acts as if he does not understand even his OWN special language, let alone mine, and you cannot read at all.
T 3 A 9. This represents a joint attack on both yourselves AND me, because it renders YOUR mind weak, and mine incompetent. Remember, this puts you in a truly fearful position. If you cannot understand either your own mind OR mine, you do not KNOW what is really willed. It is thus IMPOSSIBLE to avoid conflict, as defined before, because even if you act ACCORDING TO will, you wouldn't know it.
T 3 A 10. The next part of this course rests too heavily on the earlier part not to REQUIRE its study. Without this, you will become much too fearful when the unexpected DOES occur to make constructive use of it. However, as you study the notes, you will see some of the obvious implications, unless you still persist in misusing the defense of mental retardation. Please remember that its constructive use, described above, is hardly a REAL part of your own REAL proper equipment. It is a PARTICULARLY[132] inappropriate defense as you use it, and I can only urge you to avoid it.
T 3 A 11. The reason why a solid foundation is necessary at this point is because of the highly likely confusion of “fearful” and “awesome,” which most people do make. You will remember that we said once before that awe is inappropriate in connection with the Sons of God, because you should not experience awe in the presence of your own equals.[133] T(122) -121 But it WAS emphasized that awe IS a proper reaction of the Soul in the presence of its Creator.
T 3 A 12. So far, this course has had only indirect recourse to God, and rarely even refers to Him directly. I have repeatedly emphasized that awe is not appropriate in connection with me, BECAUSE of our inherent equality. I have been careful to clarify my own role in the Atonement, without either over or understating it. I have tried to do exactly the same things in connection with yours.
T 3 A 13. The next step, however, DOES involve the direct approach to God Himself. It would be most unwise to start on this step at all without very careful preparation, or awe will surely be confused with fear, and the experience will be more traumatic than beatific.
T 3 A 14. Healing is of God in the end. The means are carefully explained in the notes. Revelation has occasionally SHOWN you the end, but to reach it the means are needed. T(123) -122
T 3 A 15. ( The following Introduction dictated by Helen Schucman without notes.) The following is the only detailed description which need be written down as to how error interferes with preparation. The events specifically referred to here could be any events, nor does their particular influence matter. It is the process which is to be noted here, and not its results. The kind of beliefs, and the fallacious premises involved in misthought are as well exemplified here as elsewhere. There is nothing of special interest about the events described below, EXCEPT their typical nature. If this is a true course in mind- training, then the whole value of this section rests ONLY in showing you what NOT to do. The more constructive emphasis is, of course, on the positive approach. Mind-watching would have prevented any of this from occurring, and will do so any time you permit it to.
T 3 A 16. ( Following is from notes) Tell Bill that the reason why he was so strained yesterday is because he allowed himself a number of fear-producing attitudes. They were fleeting enough to be more will-of-the-wisps than serious will-errors, but unless he watches this kind of thing, he WILL find the notes fearful, and, knowing him well, will mis-distantiate. His unprovoked irritation was unpardonable EXCEPT by himself, and he did not choose to pardon it. YOU did, but I am afraid you were under some strain in doing so. This was unfortunate, and weakened your own ability to behave healingly toward Bill at the time, and later also toward Louis, both of whom DID act stupidly. But one stupidity at a time is usually enough. You are getting too close to the misuse of mental retardation when stupidity sets in all around.
T 3 A 17. Bill, having already weakened himself, was very un-miracle-minded, first by not asking Dora if she wanted a lift in the cab, which was going her way. Even if she didn't want it, she would have been able to use the thought well. There is probably no human error that is T(124) -123 more fear-provoking (in the will/behavior conflict sense) than countering any form of error with error. The result can be highly inflammable. By reacting to Dora's stupidity with his own, all of the elements which are virtually certain to engender fear have been provided.
T 3 A 18. B should note that this is one of the few times that he had to wait for a cab. He thought he took care of it by holding the door of a cab which did come for that lady, but he was misguided in this belief. Beliefs are THOUGHTS, and thus come under Christ-guidance, NOT control. Actually, by giving this cab to her, he was very unkind to you. It was quite apparent that you were extremely cold, and also very late. The idea that giving her the cab would atone for his previous errors was singularly out of place, and well calculated to lead to further error. If, instead of attempting to atone on his own, he had asked for guidance, there would have been no difficulty whatever in the cab situation. It was not necessary that anyone wait at all.
T 3 A 19. B's original slight to Dora, because of his own need to get home as he perceived it, stopped him from benefiting from the time-saving device of the miracle. He would have gotten home MUCH quicker if he had taken time to use time properly.
T 3 A 20. YOU were still suffering from strain (see above), and got quite irritated at the girl who stood next to the door on the side which blocked its opening. Her presence there made it necessary each time the door was opened to hold it for a much longer time than was necessary, and you were angry because this made you cold. Actually, the girl was taking care of the younger child who was standing outside, and both of them were really mentally retarded. If you will remember , the older girl asked you very uncertainly about the bus, and you were well aware at the time of her extreme uncertainty. T(125) -124
T 3 A 21. It would have been much wiser had you built up her confidence, instead of associating with her stupidity. This reduced your own efficiency, and the only thing that saved you then was that you DID remember, in the cab, to ask me about the notes, instead of assuming that you were necessarily to arrange to meet the next day and go over them. Bill had already become so misguided that it did not occur to him that his own will, (which he justified by the contents of the recent notes —a misuse of truth only seemingly on its own behalf) might be questionable. (You took poor notes yourself here, because you got mad at him on remembering this. While you did try to will right in the cab, you did not quite succeed. The error is showing up now.)
T 3 A 22. B thus placed himself in a condition to experience a fear rather than a love reaction. (Helen Schucman notes that she was going to write “an excellent position,” but did not do so. Answer: You were right about the misuse of “excellent” here, and please do cross it out. You are STILL angry. An excellent position for miscreation is not a meaningful approach to the problem.)
T 3 A 23. It was indeed[134] discourteous (“indeed” is not necessary; it was your OWN error here; I am NOT saying this with any harsh overtones at all. I am just trying to create better learning conditions for the study periods. We want as little interference as possible, for VERY good reasons.)
T 3 A 24. Now, go back to B; he WAS discourteous when he told you that HE wanted to keep the original copy of the notes, having decided to have them Xeroxed on his OWN will, and then justifying it by a very slight misinterpretation of what I said about “useful for others.” In fact, if he will re-read the actual quote, he will see that it REALLY means “useful for HIM.” YOU had interpreted it[135] that way, and frankly this was pretty clear to me at the time. T(126) -125 But this sort of thing happens all the time. It should, be noted, however, that the result was not only considerable and totally unnecessary planning on B's part, but also a failure to utilize what WAS intended for him as a help for HIMSELF. And before YOU get too self-satisfied, I would remind you that you do it all the time, too.
T 3 A 25. Bill acted inappropriately toward YOU, by saying that he wanted to be SURE that the original was not lost or dirty. It is noticeable that, having already decided what HE wanted to do, it never occurred to him that it IS possible that HE might lose or dirty them himself, especially as he had not entrusted them to me. This is a form of arrogance that he would be much happier without. He should also note that this would probably not have occurred had he not been ALREADY literally “off the beam.” Be SURE to tell him that this pun is to reassure him that I am not angry. If he does not get it, or does not like it, I KNOW it is not very good. The reason is that HE put me in a position where I can really give him very little at the moment.
T 3 A 26. But I want him to know that I am VERY well aware of the exceedingly few times he now makes errors of this kind. He has come a VERY long way in this respect. It seems a shame that he should allow himself even this much discomfort from it.
T 3 A 27. I suggest to YOU that we pray for him, and I pray for your full cooperation in this. This will correct YOUR errors, and help him react better to the work on the bookcase, which may otherwise lend itself for misuse by misprojection. There would have been no problem at all about the bookcase, and perhaps even no bookcase, if the solution of the storage problem had been left to me. I have promised to guide you OUT of problems, and will certainly not create them for you. But this means that you do not undertake to solve them yourselves. A storage problem is hardly more difficult for me to solve that a space problem, (see comments under special principles for miracle workers.) T(127) -126
T 3 A 28. You started well in your attempt to pray with me for Bill, but ended badly. This is because you had already made a number of earlier errors. You were wrong to be pleased with Bill F's criticism of Rose, and should not have enjoyed Bill F's description of Zanvil's caricaturing of her. You could have laughed WITH Bill, but NOT AT Rose. Real courtesy NEVER does this. You should know that all God's children are fully worthy of COMPLETE courtesy. You should NEVER join with one at the EXPENSE of another.
T 3 A 29. When you called B about joining you, Gene, & Anne at lunch, YOU should have waited to ask ME. In fact, you should not even have told Anne that you would call. Then you could have asked Bill FIRST if HE would want to come, and called ANNE back. It is true that it was better that he came, but this has nothing to do with the real issue. There are ways of treating others in which ONLY consistent courtesy, even in very little things, is offered. This is a VERY HEALING habit to acquire.
T 3 A 30. B's answer to your call was a clear statement of his own sadly conflicted state. He said, “I don't want to join you, but that's ungracious, so I'll go.” Whenever ANY invitation to join others in a gracious way is offered, it should ALWAYS be met with respect, although it need not always be accepted. However, if it is MET ungraciously the resulting feeling may well be one of coercion. This is ALWAYS a split-will reaction.
T 3 A 31. Bill did not solve this by ACTING graciously. The lunch need not have entailed either mental or physical strain for him, and no “need to escape” should have arisen. This was a regression of the unprofitable kind. Bill will continue to experience this need from time to time, until he is willing to realize that there is nothing he needs or wants to escape from.
T 3 A 32. It is very hard to get out of the chain of miscreation which can arise out of even the simplest mis-thought. To borrow one of your own phrases, “This kind of human tragedy is far easier to avert than to undo.” T(128) -127
T 3 A 33. You must both learn not to let this kind of chain reaction START. You will NOT be able to control it once it has started, because everything and everyone will be pulled into the misprojection, and misinterpreted accordingly. NOTHING is lovely to the unloving. This is because they are CREATING ugliness.
T 3 A 34. You, Helen, were definitely not acting right-mindedly by writing these notes right in front of Jonathan. (Note that you wrote his name as “Jonathan” this time, although previously in these same notes you referred to him as “Louis,” intentionally using his real name. Actually, of course, it does not matter what you call him, but NOTE that you FELT FREE at that time to CHOOSE the name YOU preferred to use. This time, you were FORCED to call him “Jonathan” because you were ATTACKING him when you took the notes in front of him, and are now falling back on the magical device of “protecting his name.”
T 3 A 35. ( I had been considering calling B rather ambivalently, and had gotten up to do so, but remembered to ask. The answer was to call him at 8:30. It would be better if HE called, but he may not decide to do so. If he does not, you should try to get through, and if he has decided NOT to be there, just leave a message that it is not important. This is still a kindly gesture, and the message should be put in a gentle way.) (Bill did call Helen Schucman)
T 3 A 36. Without going into further elaboration, and we could devote many hours to this, lets consider all the time that we had to waste today. AND all the notes that could have been devoted to a better purpose than undoing the waste, and thus creating further waste. There IS a better use for time, too. I would have liked to have spent some time on corrections of the past notes, as an important step before reviewing them. A major point of clarification is necessary in connection with the phrase “replacing hatred (or fear) with love.” T(129) -128
T 3 A 37. ( No, Helen, do NOT check this against the prayer that Bill very kindly typed for you on the card. That WAS a gracious offering on his part, and YOU also accepted it with grace at the time. Why should you deprive yourself of the value of the offering by referring this correction first to HIM?)
T 3 A 38. ( These notes did not continue at this time, due to the obvious fact that Helen Schucman was still clearly not in her right mind. However, B later suggested that “correct” or “correct for” should be used instead of “replace.” At the time, he was quite sure about this, and he was perfectly right. The reason why it was essential that HE make this correction was that the word “replace” was his choice originally, and reflected a temporary misunderstanding of his own. It was, however, both courteous and necessary that he change this himself, both as a sign of his own better understanding, and of an avoidance of correction by someone else, which would have been discourteous.) T(130) -129 [136]
