1. I Wish I Had a Pickle

The Course is a clinical, reasoned and logical philosophy based on the idea of cause and effect.  Take the premise that we are, and everything around us is, thought.  I think therefore I am.  Now the way we think is, and our results are, dependent on which thought system we choose to use.   There are two thought systems.  The ego’s thought system and the Holy Spirit’s thought system.  One is based on the idea of fear and separation, the other is based on the idea of love and oneness.  Everything made by the thought of fear and separation is ephemeral, transitory, temporary – of the ego.  Everything created by the thought of love and oneness is eternal, never changing, permanent – of God.  So when you look around at the world of things and bodies you see a variety of different forms.  These forms are all ephemeral, transitory, temporary – of the ego.  Therefore, they were caused by the idea of fear and separation.  In other words, they are the effect of that idea.  So no matter what you “see” that is not eternal, it is merely a different package containing fear and separation.  There are billions of packages; chairs, oranges, cars, bodies, money, etc. ad infinitum, but they were all birthed from the idea of fear and separation and have fear and separation at there core.

Now there is something else you should know about these thought systems.  They are all or nothing.  You are either a maker with the ego or a creator with God.  Let’s look at an example of the all or nothing dynamic in thought.  You go to the refrigerator and you find an empty jar of pickles.  You think, “I wish I had a pickle.” If you believe the grievance, “I am lacking a pickle,” you are also choosing to believe, “I am lacking.”  If “I am lacking” then “ I am not whole.”  If “I am not whole” then “I cannot be one with the wholeness of God.” If “I am not whole” then “I am not perfect.” If “I am not perfect” then “I need something to fix myself.”  If “I am not perfect” then “I will be rejected.” If “I am lacking” then “I am weak and vulnerable.”  If “I am lacking” then “I am not myself.”  If “I am lacking” then “I must be separate from God.”  Therefore, “I must be the separated self, the ego.”  “I am not my Self, I am separate and alone.”  “I don’t want to be separate and alone so I better fix myself.”  But, “I can’t fix myself because I am weak and vulnerable”… “I wish I had a   (fill in the blank).  That will fix me.”  All of these ping ponging, destabilizing, spiraling towards insanity, double binding thoughts are fear and separation thoughts.  To believe one, you must believe them all.