Lesson 017: ”I see no neutral things.”
AI Reframe: My perceptions reflect my inner state; nothing appears neutral to me.
Suggested Exercise:
Three or four times, for about a minute each, start the practice by stating:
I see no neutral things because I have no neutral thoughts
Then look around you. Indiscriminately, and without distinction, look at each thing you see long enough to say:
I do not see a neutral __________,
because my thoughts about ___________ are not neutral
examples from The Course lesson:
I do not see a neutral wall, because my thoughts about walls are not neutral.
I do not see a neutral body, because my thoughts about bodies are not neutral.
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https://youtu.be/Glk4AdexP7w?si=b7devRkVSq5zdqrP.
Message
This idea bring us another step closer toward recognizing cause and effect as it actually operates in our experience. We don’t see neutral things because we don’t have neutral thoughts (as we learned in yesterday’s lesson).
Per today’s lesson in A Course in Miracles:
“It is always the thought that comes first, despite the temptation to believe that it is the other way around. This is not the way the world thinks, but you must learn that it is the way you think. … Regardless of what you may believe, you do not see anything that is really alive or really joyous. That is because you are unaware as yet of any thought that is really true, and therefore really happy.”
On the surface, this lesson is simple to practice, yet can be surprisingly challenging to grasp—especially if you’re new to The Course. It might feel silly. It might feel strange. It might even feel downright preposterous. That’s okay. Skepticism is a legitimate response. We’re simply beginning to loosen our grip on the assumption that the world causes our thoughts, rather than the other way around.
We’re being gently invited to notice our thoughts. To see how even the thoughts we label as “neutral” are quietly projecting perception. And with that noticing, we’re given yet another opportunity to step closer to Truth—softly, patiently, and without self-attack.
“Lesson 17…is an important step in identifying cause and effect as it operates in the world. … I magnetize into my life whatever my non-neutral thoughts focus upon.”
— “The Course in Miracles Experiment” by Pam Grout
Blessings & Peace,
Maureen,
The Mandala Lady
transforming soul whispers into mandalas and channeled messages for clarity, peace, and love
▶️ About the 2026 Mandalas of the Day — ▶️ A Note About A Course in Miracles
Mandala of the Day 