Hi all. I'm a long term lurker who made an account to ask a question. I've just started to go through the workbook, and I've found it difficult to say the least.

Today my long term roommate of three years moved out. It's been a hard day for me. In lesson six, I was saying "I am deeply sad about my roommate leaving because I see something that's not there." And in today's lessons, as I look around the empty living room, I say "I see only the past in the empty table. I see only the past in the sofa. I see only the past in the posters on the wall. I see only the past in my reflection."

I am struggling to understand how this event is an illusion. Is it an illusion because I give the event its meaning? Because I inscribe all my past goodbyes onto it? Because in my goodbye, I am saying goodbye to the past which doesn't exist?

I guess I'm looking for some comfort and understanding. My sadness feels very real and very much like it's caused by this, but lesson five says otherwise.

I know the course says that I can refuse and even deny the teachings, so long as I do them. Though that seems to make reading them even harder.

Any guidance?