A Course in Miracles Review

 

A course in miracles has reached thousands of people worldwide. It was received through a process of inner dictation by two Columbia University psychologists and first published in 1976.

A Course in Miracles is a spiritual teaching that emphasizes forgiveness as the means to undoing the illusion of separation. It calls for a profound change in perspective and views the world as a place of love, unity and sinlessness.

The Text

The Course is a spiritual thought system that teaches love's forgiveness. It views the world as a reflection of truth, and calls for acceptance of what is true rather than fearing what is false. It teaches that all problems are really opportunities for healing. It views sin as a misperception that needs correction and love, not guilt and punishment.

The Book of the Course is composed of three books: the Text, which lays out its concepts; the Workbook for Students, with 365 daily lessons that emphasize experience over belief in a theology; and the Manual for Teachers, which answers questions frequently asked by students. Two supplements, Psychotherapy: Purpose, Process and Practice and The Song of Prayer are also included.

This version is the First Edition of the ACIM Text, as transcribed by Bill and Helen in their shorthand notebooks. It is what the authors called the Urtext, and it differs from standard editions in several important ways.

The Workbook

The workbook consists of 365 daily lessons that are designed to train your mind along the lines set forth in the Text. Each lesson provides an opportunity to practice forgiveness and to see past your personal judgments and limiting beliefs.

The Workbook's ideas may seem strange and even disturbing at first. However, they are not intended to be taken literally. Rather, they are meant to help you recognize what your ego tells you about the world, people, and yourself with the truth of who everyone is - and that love is the only reality.

The Course uses Christian terminology as symbols that are familiar to western culture but evokes universal, non-dual spiritual themes - including Eastern spirituality. It emphasizes experience over belief in a theology and says that it is only one of thousands of paths that lead to God. The course also includes a Manual for Teachers, which answers questions about the Course's concepts and clarifies its terms.

The Manual

A Course in Miracles is a book of A course in miracles spiritual instruction that teaches forgiveness as the path to love. It has been called "the bible of the'spiritual but not religious' movement," and it has profoundly influenced a growing number of people who consider themselves to be of this group, which now numbers millions worldwide.

Like a college course, it is divided into three volumes. Its Text is the main academic coursebook, its Workbook gives students a practical way to apply the teachings of the Text, and the Manual serves as a brief summary of the whole course.

The manual describes two forms of teachers: a teacher who has pupils, and a healer who does not have any patients (though it is unclear whether or not this distinction makes any difference). The Course is primarily aimed at teaching the students to become their own healers, so this is hardly surprising. The question is, how does it do this?

The Teachings

A Course in Miracles is a spiritual and psychological path. Its main teachings revolve around forgiveness and releasing all grievances. It also teaches about God, Jesus, and the true meaning of love. It describes the world of truth and love as one of unity, abundance, sinlessness, and purity. It views the physical world as a misperception based on false beliefs, and teaches that our only real relationship is with God and ourselves.

A Course in Miracles has three main parts: the 669-page Text, a 488-page Workbook for Students, and the 92-page Manual for Teachers. The Manual explains how the thought system of ACIM will be extended to others, and offers two forms of this extension.

Although it uses Christian symbols and often sounds religious, A Course in Miracles is not a religion. It is almost the opposite of Christianity as it is commonly practiced, and it gives a different meaning to common Christian terms. It does not have churches or a formal institute to govern its members, but is primarily self-study.