The idea for today is obviously the reason why your perceiving does not affect you alone.
You will notice that at times the ideas related to thinking precede those related to perceiving, while at other times the order is reversed. The reason is that the order does not actually matter. Thinking and its results are really simultaneous, for cause and effect are never separate.
Today we are again emphasizing the fact that in reality minds are joined. This is rarely a wholly welcome idea at first, since it seems to carry with it an enormous sense of responsibility, and may even be regarded as an “invasion of privacy.” Yet it is a fact that in Spirit there are no private thoughts. Despite your initial resistance to this idea, you will yet understand that it must be true if awakening is possible at all. And awakening must be possible because it is the Will of the Divine.
The minute or so of mind-searching that today’s exercises require is to be undertaken with closed eyes. Repeat today’s idea first, and then carefully search your mind for the thoughts it contains at that time. As you consider each thought, name it in terms of the central person or theme it contains, and, holding it in your mind as you do so, say:
“I am joined by others in experiencing the effects of this thought about _____.”
For instance:
“I am joined by others in experiencing the effects of this thought about breakfast.”
“I am joined by others in experiencing the effects of this thought about the movie, _____.”
“I am joined by others in experiencing the effects of this thought about the dream about _____ that I had last night.”
The requirement of as much indiscriminateness as possible in selecting subjects for the practice period should be quite familiar to you by now, and will no longer be repeated each day, although it will occasionally be included as a reminder. Remember, however, that random selection of subjects for all practice periods remains essential throughout. Lack of order in this connection will ultimately make the recognition of lack of levels or orders of difficulty in miracles meaningful to you.
Apart from the “as needed” application of today’s idea, at least three practice periods are required, shortening the length of time involved, if necessary. Do not attempt more than four.