Projection Makes Perception

Because projection makes perception, if I choose to see my brothers and sisters as sinless, then I will see the sinlessness and innocence in myself.  In other words, the way I see you comes from the way I see myself.  What I have judged real and important in my mind is what I will see as real and important outside me, in my body and the world.

“It is to this alone (this inner decision about value) that I respond, however much I seem to be impelled by outside happenings,” says the Course in Miracles. “We seem to be affected by what is outside us; but in truth we are affected only by the mind’s decision” for (either) the ego or spirit, says Ken Wapnick. This means that what I experience as a body in the world is my decision - my choice to be with ego’s nightmare of evil and original sin or with spirit’s compassion, kindness and brotherhood.

“I choose to see what I would look upon, and this I see, and only this.  My brother’s (humanity’s) sinlessness shows me that I would look upon my own. And I will see it, having chosen to look upon my own,” says The Course. “On a practical level,” Ken says, “this does not mean we should feel guilty because we see murder, pain, death, and sickness all around us. Remember that perception is an interpretation. It is not what our eyes ‘objectively’ see that is at issue, but the interpretation of what our eyes see. 

“Thus we do not deny what (our own and) other bodies do, but we do deny the ego’s interpretation, which would be that sin is rampant, either in ourselves or others.  The change we want to effect (is) in our minds (and it) is to see ourselves and others as expressions of love or calls for love, not sin and evil.”