LESSON 15: My thoughts are images that I have made myself.
Lesson 15 of the ACIM Workbook
Do you dare to look at what's behind everything you see? The easy thing would be to try to understand it from the point of view of the usual, from the surface of a world that seems firm, that seems made up of things, of stories, of others and of yourself, of yourself.
But the lesson slips like lightning under the skin, and comes to challenge that everyday security: what if everything you perceive, everything you think you see—a smile in the street, the pain of an argument, the familiar figure in front of the mirror—were an image born of your own thoughts?
Now, after going through days of uncomfortable questions, of beginning to observe the meaning that you give to each experience, this lesson does not come to make you feel special or to give you quick comfort. Rather, it invites you to sit with discomfort. What if the "reality" of your day-to-day life is not what you thought?
If the ego makes the world so as not to look inside, perhaps all you have to do is look there, right in the place you least want.
Ten questions – the truly honest ones – of the Lesson 15 from A Course in Miracles they are waiting for you. Not to decorate your spirituality, but to start dismantling the fiercest image: that of yourself as separate beings. Read. These are the cracks through which light can enter.
Intellect and practice: the sense of going deep
Think, for a moment, about everything you call real: your relationships, the news, the future, your body. Where does that experience come from? The Course does not ask you to deny what you see, it asks you to observe what is behind, the source that gives it life. Every thought – of guilt, of fear, of the desire to control – becomes images, sensations, the script of your personal story.
The importance of answering the questions that follow without cheating is not academic or religious. If you don't look at the root, you can spend the practice repeating beautiful words or waiting for miracles from the outside. It doesn't work. Here, honesty is the only requirement.
These questions are not meant to be answered quickly or to please your spiritual ego. They are the beginning of the thaw, the first amazement of seeing that everything you experience is the shadow of your mind. Answering them is literally starting to let go of fear—even if it hurts, even if it scares you, even if you want to stop.
Continue? The images, the mirages, the cracks, all wait.
1. What does it mean that "my thoughts are images that I have made myself"? Is everything I see really coming from me?
Answer
Seeing is not looking at objects, but catching the projection of what your mind decides to believe. Everything you think you see in the world—people, spaces, problems, even that idea of who you are like—is an image originated by your own thoughts of separation, guilt, and fear. The ego places them outside as a defense, so it seems that the cause of the pain is outside and that you are a victim.
Why this question is key
Without understanding this, it all boils down to vague explanations or empty rituals. Recognizing projection as the engine of your world changes your practice: you are no longer an effect, you are the cause.
How it should affect your practice
- Stop at each reaction: "What image am I making now?"
- Don't look outside for culprits, look inside.
- Remember that when you change your thinking, your perception changes.
2. If my thoughts are "nothing," how can these images, this solid world, seem so real?
Answer
On the level of Truth, the thoughts of the ego mean nothing. They are shadows, vain attempts to separate themselves from God. But in the dream, you believe in them so much that they take shape and seem powerful. It's the belief, the value you place on them, that makes them so vividly real.
Why this question is key
Here many get stuck, thinking that if "it's nothing" they should ignore the pain or deny their experiences. But nothing does not mean that you do not suffer effects; it means that they have no ultimate reality.
How it should affect your practice
- Notice how strongly you hold guilt or fear.
- Question: "What am I attributing reality to now?"
- Gradually let go of the belief, not the experience.
3. Why is the phrase "the thoughts you think you think" so important? Aren't my thoughts really mine?
Answer
That phrase unmasks the root of the ego: the belief that you have a separate mind, capable of thinking for itself. But that is the illusion, the core of the dream. The only real thought is that of your true identity in Christ, one with God.
Why this question is key
If you continue to believe that your mind is separate and that you think alone, you are still trapped, trapped in defense, in individuality and suffering.
How it should affect your practice
- Every time you think you're "thinking something important," ask yourself, "Does this come from reality or from ego?"
- Soften the sense of ownership over your thoughts.
- Allow the Holy Spirit to guide your real thinking.
4. Why does the lesson warn me that this idea "will not have much meaning to me at first"? How to overcome resistance?
Answer
The ego defends itself fiercely when its base is threatened. The idea that you don't exist as a separate identity scares you, terrifies you. That is why, at first, these lessons seem abstract, uncomfortable, or even absurd.
Why this question is key
If you don't recognize the resistance—that discomfort or that boredom—the practice becomes dull or frustrating. It is a sign that the lesson is touching on a crucial point.
How it should affect your practice
- Observe without judging your resistance and your desire to flee.
- Be honest, honest, about ego boundaries.
- Do gentle practices; Don't force yourself, don't fight.
5. Should I expect to see "edges of light" around objects? What do "light episodes" mean in practice?
Answer
These "edges of light" are not external visual experiences that you should look for. They are the symbol of inner understanding, of that sudden clarity where you realize the truth behind the illusion. The real fear is not seeing the light, but assuming that the person who perceives those images does not exist either.
Why this question is key
Many become obsessed with mystical phenomena, frustrated, or feel less about not experiencing them. The Course is about changing the mind, not about visual spectacles.
How it should affect your practice
- Don't compare yourself or feel guilty for not "seeing lights."
- Pay attention to small changes in your feeling, your understanding.
- If clarity comes, be grateful for it; if not, keep watching.
6. If the world is an illusion, should I stop worrying about those who suffer? Does this make me irresponsible?
Answer
It is not indifference or escapism. Understanding the illusion of the world leads you to compassion without judgment, where you help from the mind, not from guilt. Forgiveness and peace extend beyond forms; there is your true role as a student and as a guide.
Why this question is key
Here ethical doubts arise, fear of losing humanity or affection. But real help doesn't come from fixing outside, but from transforming the mind and sharing that peace.
How it should affect your practice
- Take every conflict and suffering to your Inner Master.
- It offers understanding and forgiveness rather than external solutions.
- Remember: loving is not controlling, it is liberating.
7. What is the difference between "true perception" (vision) and "Knowledge" (Heaven/Love)?
Answer
True perception is seeing with the eyes of the Holy Spirit: you recognize innocence, you see beyond the dream, but you are still inside the world. Knowledge is the state of Oneness with God, beyond all perception, outside of sleep and time.
Why this question is key
If you confuse the two levels, you may become frustrated hoping for ultimate peace in the world or believing that forgiveness will transport you to Heaven already.
How it should affect your practice
- He appreciates peace as a reflection, not as an ultimate goal.
- Use vision to undo obstacles to knowledge.
- Don't cling to perceptual experiences; Let them flow.
8. What is the use of applying the idea to "random" objects? How does this help to forgive even the most painful situations?
Answer
Applying the idea to any object trains your mind to stop differentiating between illusions. Everything perceived has the same equality in its unreality. In this way, you learn to generalize forgiveness, to let go of the specialty of suffering or pleasure, and to bring this understanding to any conflict.
Why this question is key
The ego makes distinctions: big or small problems, preferred enemies. Here that specialism is undone, the way to true peace is paved.
How it should affect your practice
- He applies the idea to everything without distinction.
- Don't obsess over "what's important"; practice equality.
- Take this training into difficult situations and watch for change.
9. The most frightening image is that of myself as a separate being. What does this mean for my identity?
Answer
The ego fears—and you fear—the idea of disappearing if you leave the separation. The image of your "self" with history, body, personality, turns out to be a defensive fabrication. When you let go, you don't stay empty, empty; you remember your true identity in the Oneness of God.
Why this question is key
Here is the root of fear and suffering: the obsession with individuality, with controlling everything, with surviving separately.
How it should affect your practice
- Observe your attachment to your own history and personality.
- Ask yourself, "Whose fear, this desire for control, is?"
- Open yourself up to the possibility of a greater, formless identity.
10. As a student or teacher, how can I live and teach this lesson to support the transformation of others?
Answer
It is not a question of speeches, but of embodying the process. Live forgiveness, observation, humility and honesty. Be an example, a source of peace that does not demand, that does not frighten, that does not differentiate. It teaches by showing that the world does not control you, nor does it define you, and that choice is always within.
Why this question is key
No one can lead others if they have not walked the path. Example – life lived in honesty and practice – is what spreads the real desire for change.
How it should affect your practice
- Reflect peace and compassion in your relationships with students and peers.
- It motivates the recognition of the equality of all situations.
- Help by looking at the darkness without judgment, with humility and light.
Surrender to what you already are: keep going
There will be days when you don't want to look inside, or apply the idea, or answer questions. There will be times when the ego screams that this is absurd, dangerous, useless. But in that silence – in the pause between questions – something completely different can appear.
Here you don't have to understand everything. Perfection is not necessary; only the will to look, to practice, even if progress is uncomfortable or invisible. If you fall, if you resist, if it hurts, come back. He returns to the beginning, to the original question, to the humility of not knowing.
With every honest answer, with every naked practice, the wall cracks. The fabricated image trembles. Finally, after so much wear and tear, light can enter.
When you don't know how to continue, continue. When the mind says, "This won't be enough," remember that honesty—the small surrender of each day—is the door that was never closed. Move on to the next lesson.
Do you dare to keep searching in the dark to find what you could never lose?
Self-inquiry test
INSTRUCTIONS
This test is designed as a self-inquiry tool to accompany the practice of the lessons. It's not about passing or failing, or demonstrating knowledge, but about looking at yourself honestly and recognizing where you are in your process.
The test contains 20 questions, each with three possible answers: A, B, or C. Choose the option that most closely matches what you really feel or think, not the one you think you "should" answer. There are no right or wrong answers here; the important thing is to be honest with yourself.
At the end, you will be able to assess where you are and what aspects you can continue working on to advance in your spiritual path. Take it as an opportunity to deepen your practice, not as an exam.
QUESTIONS (Mark A, B or C on each)
