LESSON 13 A meaningless world engenders fear.

1. 1Today’s idea is really another form of the preceding one, except that it is more specific as to the emotion aroused. 2Actually, a meaningless world is impossible. 3Nothing without meaning ex­ists. 4However, it does not follow that you will not think you perceive something that has no meaning. 5On the contrary, you will be particularly likely to think you do perceive it.

2. 1Recognition of meaninglessness arouses intense anxiety in all the separated ones. 2It represents a situation in which God and the ego “challenge” each other as to whose meaning is to be written in the empty space that meaninglessness provides. 3The ego rushes in frantically to establish its own ideas there, fearful that the void may otherwise be used to demonstrate its own impo­tence and unreality. 4And on this alone it is correct.

3. 1It is essential, therefore, that you learn to recognize the mean­ingless, and accept it without fear. 2If you are fearful, it is certain that you will endow the world with attributes that it does not possess, and crowd it with images that do not exist. 3To the ego illusions are safety devices, as they must also be to you who equate yourself with the ego.

4. 1The exercises for today, which should be done about three or four times for not more than a minute or so at most each time, are to be practiced in a somewhat different way from the preceding ones. 2With eyes closed, repeat today’s idea to yourself. 3Then open your eyes, and look about you slowly, saying:

4I am looking at a meaningless world.

5Repeat this statement to yourself as you look about. 6Then close your eyes, and conclude with:

7A meaningless world engenders fear because I think I am in competition with God.

5. 1You may find it difficult to avoid resistance, in one form or another, to this concluding statement. 2Whatever form such resistance may take, remind yourself that you are really afraid of such a thought because of the “vengeance” of the “enemy.” 3You are not expected to believe the statement at this point, and will prob­ably dismiss it as preposterous. 4Note carefully, however, any signs of overt or covert fear which it may arouse.

6. 1This is our first attempt at stating an explicit cause and effect relationship of a kind which you are very inexperienced in recognizing. 2Do not dwell on the concluding statement, and try not even to think of it except during the practice periods. 3That will suffice at present.