[Dan_SF]

Here is the first exercise from the self clearing course. The Acim'ler here will recognize the similarities from one of the lessons.
And one or another will find it helpful into doing the lesson from the Acim better.

1.1 The Attention Process

This is almost childishly simple. And yet it is an effective
technique for pushing through mental fog and blockage by
directing your attention outward in a controlled manner. It also
raises perception at the same time. Many variations are
possible.
In its simplest form, the command is:

1.1) LOOK AROUND AND NOTICE THINGS, SPOTTING PRECISE POINTS AND
MOVING BRISKLY FROM ONE POINT TO THE NEXT.

Of course people often do this when they go into a new or
interesting place. But most of the time they leave their
perceptions on automatic and they tend to introvert and their
perceptions become dull as a result.
If you practice this when it is easy, then you will have it at
your fingertips in times when you have been heavily introverted
and in those cases it can be of tremendous aid in helping you
pull yourself together.
Among other things, this one gives you a safety net when you are
self processing. If you do get in trouble, it can cool down the
mental charge that you have stirred up.
It is extremely useful in pushing through the mental effects of
drugs. If, for example, you were to drink too much, it will help
sober you up. But in this case, you will find that you have to
keep repeating the process while the chemicals remain in your
system.
An important part of it is the spotting of precise points rather
than just vaguely looking around. If you are indoors, make a
special point of spotting the corners (usually 8) of the room.


Even when you are awake and alert and doing well, this drill
should bring about a bit of improvement in your perceptions. The
room gets a bit brighter, you feel a bit better oriented, and a
bit more clearheaded. When you get this improvement, you should
acknowledge that the drill has been completed.
If you do it when you are tired or foggy, the effects can be
dramatic. There you are, for example, half asleep and you need
to force yourself awake. So you begin noticing precise spots in
the room and suddenly you come fully awake. Or you are feeling
bad and you start looking around and noticing things precisely,
and suddenly you sort of pull yourself together and feel renewed
strength.
This is important because it demonstrates that you can gain
control over your mental state.
You should use this one a lot, to the point where it becomes
second nature to do it whenever you are in a fog. This ensures
that you will use it if you are half unconscious or even asleep
and don't remember the process or any of your usual stuff and yet
you just do this anyway because it is so much a part of your
operating basis.


On rare occasions, I have had dreams where my perceptions were
very foggy. Eventually this technique was so much a part of me
that I would use it in such cases even though I was not aware
that I was dreaming. Sometimes it had a very startling effect,
causing the dream to burst like a bubble and I would find myself
staring at the bedroom wall, much to my surprise.
To learn this one effectively, you have to actually do it rather
than just reading about it. So your first act is to simply do it
right now even though it may seem like a very trivial thing.
Simply look around the room, noticing precise points until your
perceptions brighten up a bit. It is not a big deal if you are
already feeling good and alert.
To get really good at it, use it many times over the course of a
few days, running it in idle moments at home and at work or while
shopping or while walking around or traveling.
When you are doing well, it is deceptively fast and simple. But
You will be surprised at how much willpower it takes to do this
if you are groggy. Learn to do it now before you need it in some
dangerous or critical situation