The earliest version of A Course in Miracles is called the Original Edition. It is a pristine reproduction of the 1972 manuscript that Schucman completed before substantial editing was done by others.
Helen Schucman received the material for A Course in Miracles over a 7-year period from an inner voice she identified as Jesus. Although the Course uses Christian terminology, it is ecumenical in its teaching and appeals to men and women of all faiths.
What is A Course in Miracles?
A Course in Miracles, also known as acim, is a spiritual textbook that emphasizes forgiveness and love. The text is divided into three volumes: the Text, the Workbook for Students, and the Manual for Teachers. The book was channeled by Helen Schucman over a seven-year period beginning in 1965, while she was a professor of medical psychology at Columbia University in New York. She gave herself no credit as the author of the text, instead saying that she received it as a kind of mental dictation from a voice who identified himself as Jesus.
The book has been a major influence on those who think of themselves as spiritual but not religious, and it has become a modern spiritual classic. In the thirty years since its publication, it has sold more than 3 million copies worldwide and is taught in many languages. The book is not a religion, but it does use Christian symbols and references. It teaches that God is Love, and it uses the name of Jesus to convey this message. However, it also gives a different meaning to common Christian terms such as the Son of God, and it is a spiritual and psychological path rather than a religious one.
One of the most important aspects of A Course in Miracles is that it focuses on changing our beliefs and perceptions, not just what happens in the world around us. The book explains that miracles are not magic tricks, but they are the result of a shift from the ego’s story about reality to the truth. The Course teaches that we can practice miracles in our daily lives by forgiving others and ourselves.
When A Course in Miracles was first published, it was controversial. Critics attacked its claims and charged that it was a cult. The fact that it was written in an academic style, and that it had no centralized authority, further alienated it from mainstream readers. But over time, the book has become a modern spiritual classic, and many of its followers have devoted their lives to its teachings.
What is the Original Text?
A Course in Miracles was ascribed to Helen Schucman, who channeled the material over a 7-year period between 1965 and 1972 while she was a professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University. She claimed that the book was a type of mental dictation from a voice she identified as Jesus. While the book is Christian in its terminology, it has also been compared to eastern wisdom traditions. Its spirituality is combined with a thought system that is intellectually sophisticated and often deals with such topics as belief systems and defense systems, perception and identity.
The original manuscript of A Course in Miracles, sometimes called the Hugh Lynn Cayce version or simply the HLC text, is closer to the dictation that Helen Schucman received than any other published version of the book. It was completed by her and Dr. William Thetford in 1972, before substantial editing by others was undertaken. The original typescript was edited to remove personal information, and the result was 1,500 pages that became the Text volume of A Course in Miracles. In addition to minor changes in paragraphing, capitalization and section titles there was a great deal of line-by-line editing done to the original text.
The conversational tone of the original HLC edition enlivens the reading of the text and invites the student into a dialog with the Author. Many advanced students of the Course find that studying this version enhances their understanding of the work and provides them with a sense of intimacy with Jesus that they do not get from other publications. It is for this reason that the original HLC text is considered essential to a full study of the Course. It is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to find true happiness and peace of mind in this world. This is a must-read for any ACIM student! This is the version of A Course in Miracles that we recommend for all students. It is available in both PDF and Kindle format. The PDF can be read on most computers, tablets and mobile devices. The Kindle version can be read on Amazon’s Kindle app, as well as other e-reader apps.
What is the Workbook?
The Workbook is a 365-day book of practical spiritual instruction. It provides a step-by-step approach for applying the principles of A Course in Miracles to daily life. It requires an open mind and a willingness to question your own beliefs and values. The daily lessons in the Workbook offer an opportunity to practice forgiveness and see the world differently – through God’s eyes. The Workbook also teaches that miracles are the result of your choice to let go of fear and trust in love.
The Workbooks were not part of the original 1972 manuscript and have evolved over time. In 2006 the first printing of the Workbook for Students and Manual for Teachers was released along with the Text volume. This is now the standard edition of A Course in Miracles.
Helen Schucman channeled the content of A Course in Miracles over a seven-year period between 1965 and 1972 while she was a professor of medical psychology at Columbia University in New York. She gave herself no credit for the text, saying she received it as a kind of inner dictation from a voice that identified itself as Jesus. The Course has caused consternation among traditional Christians who believe it to be a heretical teaching. Nonetheless, the content is highly spiritually inspirational and intellectually sophisticated. Its thought system combines spiritual inspiration with deep psychological understanding of such phenomena as belief and defense systems, guilt and fear, and perception and identity.
The lessons in the Workbook teach that it is possible to find happiness and peace in the midst of the most difficult circumstances. They do not require a great deal of time or long periods of practice to be effective, but they do require a commitment to question your own assumptions about what the world is all about and a willingness to open your heart to the experience of love that lies just beyond your fears. In addition to fostering spiritual insight and change, the Workbook offers an experiential demonstration that love can heal anything.
What is the Manual for Teachers?
Anyone familiar with A Course in Miracles knows that it consists of three volumes, the Text, the Workbook and the Manual for Teachers. It is also common knowledge that the first two are meant to be read and practiced while the third is intended to instruct students on how to teach the Course. While this is all true, what is not as widely understood is what the Manual for Teachers actually teaches.
The gist of what the Course teaches is that when one has become mature enough to understand and apply its principles, they will begin to extend them to others. This extension to others is not a mere act of teaching, but rather a thought-reinforcement mechanism that allows the ideas contained in the Course to become more fully enthroned as the dominant thoughts within an individual’s mind.
According to the Course, it is this process that makes a teacher of God, or more specifically, a teacher of A Course in Miracles. This is a startling conclusion, but in reading the various sections of the Manual it becomes clear that it is indeed what the course teaches.
To teach the Course, a teacher must first have completed the Workbook and have attained mastery over its lessons. When this has occurred, he or she will have a deep understanding of the principles contained in the Text and the practical applications they have provided in the Workbook. Then, he or she will be able to guide others through the same process of transformation that they themselves have experienced.
During the seven years of its creation, Schucman took shorthand in a trance state while listening to her inner voice and subsequently wrote down what was given her. The original 1500 pages of material that resulted were then edited down to its present form by both her and Dr. William Thetford, with the help of Ken Wapnick and a few other individuals. Personal information was omitted and the remaining material became what we now know as A Course in Miracles.
A Course in Miracles is an intellectually sophisticated book that contains a system of thought that combines spiritual inspiration with deep psychological insights. It is often compared to some of the world’s great literature because of its poetic language, its use of blank verse and its intellectually sophisticated explanation of such topics as beliefs and defense systems, perception and identity.
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