This helps me when I have ego thoughts

Thought brings experience. Joining with the thoughts of the ego brings the experience of pain, loss and lack. That is because the ego thoughts stem from separation from the oneness of God, which in reality is All That is. Thoughts of separation from God bring the experience of being alone, loss, and death. These thoughts remain dreams because what God does not will could never be. But joining with the ego\'s thoughts brings the illusion of pain and death. This need not be.

Joining with the thoughts of the Holy Spirit can be chosen instead. When it comes down to it, this is the only choice we ever make — the decision between thinking with the Holy Spirit or thinking with the ego. We have thought that the ego would bring a fun adventure. But behind its glossy veneer, it ultimately brings the dream experience of pain and death.

When we are ready to choose once again, the Holy Spirit is always there, waiting to help us return to the Thoughts we think with God. Our willingness grows to choose with the Holy Spirit as we see from experience that choosing with Holy Spirit brings us only happiness and lasting peace.

The Holy Spirit\'s gentleness becomes evident as our connection becomes stronger. Communication with the Holy Spirit grows and grows until there is no longer any attraction to the thoughts of the ego. The ego\'s thoughts are seen as meaningless and are gently laid aside. Why would we want to hurt ourselves? Why would we want to choose pain?

The joy of God becomes like a magnet that heals all guilt resulting from the choice to join with the ego. The desire for the "joy ride" that was not really a joy ride is over. Returning Home to God becomes the only thing we want. It is all we ask for and all that we receive. We recognize the truth the we can be hurt by nothing but our thoughts. We give up thoughts that hurt.

Though the lesson says, "I can be hurt by nothing but my thoughts," the Course makes it clear that hurt can only be experienced in illusions. In truth we are one with God, in God. Nothing else exists. And so there is nothing real to harm us. But believing in the ego thought system means that I mistake illusions for reality. And so I will experience hurt as if it were real. The good news is that the illusion of harm will disappear the moment I choose to think with God.

Since God is Love and nothing else, His Thoughts are Love and nothing else. The Thoughts I think with God must also be Love and nothing else. Love can only bless and so when I think with God, I can only experience Love\'s blessing. With blessing comes gratitude and gratitude motivates the desire to share. And so the cycle of Love extending Love to Itself continues uninterrupted.

As I choose to join with God\'s Thoughts, I open my heart to experience His joy and peace. Thus I will remember I am blessed as the Son of God along with all my brothers, who are that Son. Love excludes no one and in Its inclusiveness, I remember my oneness with my Creator and all His creations. I remember Love.

of believing in my own pain.