Originally published in 1976, A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a spiritual teaching that combines profound spiritual insights with far-reaching psychological understanding. It teaches that love is the only truth and that the world we see is a misperception.
Although it uses Christian terms, the Course is ecumenical and does not promote any particular religion.
The Text
In a three volume set, A Course in Miracles is a profound spiritual text that has had a tremendous impact on the lives of thousands of people. It is a self-study system of spiritual psychology, which combines deeply spiritual teachings with far-reaching psychological insights.
Helen Schucman received the Course, word for word, through a process of inner dictation beginning in 1965. The first edition of the book was published in 1976. It is ecumenical, using Christian symbols but avoiding a dogmatic theology. Its premise is that the greatest miracle is simply to realize love’s presence, which is your natural inheritance.
ACIM Text Made Simple is a free Q & A section that provides clarification of what is written in the Course’s Text and Workbook. These questions and answers are used by many study groups as a supplement to Daily Lesson Insights. They are arranged to correspond with the chapters and sections in the Text of A Course in Miracles. a course in miracles podcast
The Workbook
The Workbook, the companion book to the Text, teaches the principles of forgiveness and love that form the basis of the Course. Its daily lessons, written in blank verse, are a combination of spiritual inspiration and intellectual sophistication. Its thought system combines spiritual inspiration with deep psychological understanding of such phenomena as belief and defense systems, perception and identity.
Unlike the Text, which is largely theoretical and contains concepts that are hard to understand, the Workbook has an extremely practical application. Its lessons provide a way for students to experience the thought reversal that is the goal of the entire Course.
When a student does the Workbook with regularity, it helps to overturn the ego's beliefs and perceptions. This change of mind and perception is a miracle according to the Course, and is a necessary step in waking up from the dream and awakening to reality.
The Workbook can be studied and practiced by anyone. But it is most beneficial to a student if he or she joins with other people who are studying the Course and has an experienced teacher guide them through its lessons. This is important because the curriculum is highly individualized and differs for each person according to their own life experiences and needs. The manual for teachers indicates that the Holy Spirit will use the student's own experiences to help him or her understand the Course's thought system.
The Teachings
The Course contains profound spiritual teachings as well as far-reaching and practical psychological insights. It is intellectually sophisticated, with many metaphysical, theological and philosophical concepts woven into the teaching in both the Text and the Workbook. Its language is poetic and often written in blank verse, leading some to compare it to some of the world's great literature.
It does not seek to change beliefs, morality or behavior in the way that most religious teachings do. Instead, it focuses on changing the way that human minds typically function - in particular, by undoing the fear of guilt. It does this through a practice of forgiveness.
Although it uses Christian terminology, ACIM does not have an institute, church or hierarchy of teachers and followers. Its curriculum is individualized for each student, and there are no predetermined courses of study. In fact, the Course instructs students that they should find a teacher of their choice and learn from him/her "as much as possible" (Manual, p. 85).
Because of the complexity and density of the language in the ACIM Text, it is recommended to study it at a pace that feels comfortable for you. It is helpful to read two or three pages per day if you have difficulty keeping up with the reading, and to take breaks when needed. This allows the Holy Spirit to use your life experiences in order to help you understand its thought system.
The Language
The language of A Course in Miracles is poetic and written in blank verse, which has led to comparisons with some of the world’s great literature. It is also intellectually sophisticated and combines spiritual inspiration with deep psychological understanding of such concepts as belief and defense systems, perception and identity.
One of the challenges that some students have with the Course is its Christian language and the presence of Jesus throughout the material. If the ego is holding onto its special love (or hate) for Jesus or Christianity, this can create resistance to learning the concepts of the Course. But a simple request to the Holy Spirit to forgive the ego for holding on to this attachment can open up a whole new classroom in which the Course’s teachings can be learned.
Another area that can cause resistance is the Course’s use of Freudian, Platonic and Shakespearean terminology and ideas. These concepts can seem quite foreign to those who have not studied them before. But again, a request to the Holy Spirit to teach you to understand these terms can help open up a new classroom in which the Course’s teachings about forgiveness and releasing judgment can be taught. The questions and answers in the Manual for Teachers can be a valuable resource for this.
The Symbols
The Course uses symbols, and these are very important in understanding the Course. The most obvious symbol is Jesus, but there are many others. One needs to understand these symbols to be able to truly interpret the Course, not through ego interpretation but by revelation.
It is also important to note that the Course uses Christian symbols but it is not a religion. It is ecumenical and states that it "uses common Christian terms but has a different meaning." The term Christ refers to the totality of God's Sonship, which can be identified in everyone. The Course says that it will be "a restatement of the core of wisdom found in every major world religion."
One of the most difficult things to understand about the Course is its goal. It is not trying to change the beliefs, morals or behaviors of its students, but rather changing the way that their minds work. This is why it calls itself a "mind training course."
It is important to understand that the Course focuses on forgiveness and removing blocks to our awareness of love's presence in our lives, which is our natural inheritance. It also teaches that we are not victims of circumstances and relationships, but that we choose them. We can use the principles of the Course to heal relationships in all areas of our life, including our families. It is a powerful tool to have in our toolbox for dealing with the problems that life brings us.
The World of Knowledge
A Course in Miracles is both a spiritual teaching and a practical manual. It offers an approach to awakening that is both progressive (in contrast to the nondual teachings of Advaita referenced here) and experiential. It teaches that the real world is a spiritual one, and that all of life is a means to finding peace.
This is not the usual approach to teaching. Most teachings are either academic and scholarly, or religious and mystical. Both of these are valid, and both are needed to understand this world. However, a third approach is also necessary. This is the path of awakening through forgiveness. The course calls this the path of love.
A key feature of this approach is the recognition that true knowledge cannot be taught. It can only be received by being recognized as truth by those who seek it. The course offers a means to do this through forgiveness.
It also teaches that the real world is a world of love, and that all life is a miracle. It teaches that we can all change the world by choosing love, and that we can be healed by the experience of forgiveness. The course uses Christian terminology, but is not a religion. It offers the opposite of Christianity in many ways, and it teaches different meanings for common Christian symbols. It is almost a form of Eastern nondualism, though it still uses Christian terms like Father-Son and Son-God.
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