A Course in Miracles a course in miracles (ACIM) is a spiritual teaching that focuses on the forgiveness of sin and teaches about love that heals. It is a non-denominational teaching that emphasizes the power of prayer.
It is channeled (spiritually delivered) through Helen Schucman, an atheistic psychologist. It is written in a poetic style and uses Christian terminology, but teaches the opposite of what Christianity commonly holds as doctrine.
What is A Course in Miracles?
First published in 1976, A Course in Miracles is a 1250-page book that combines profound spiritual teachings with far-reaching and practical psychological insights. It is not a religion but rather a self-study system of “spiritual psychology” that emphasizes experience over belief in any theology. It consists of three books: the Text, which lays out its thought system; the Workbook for Students, a set of daily lessons that emphasize application over rote memorization; and the Manual for Teachers, which answers questions about the Course's teachings.
The course begins by urging readers to release their attachment to the ego and recognize that they are not who they think they are. It teaches that the true identity of man is one with God. It also explains how fear and anger are born of the illusion that we can separate ourselves from our true selves. Forgiveness is the means by which we can undo this illusion. It is not a quick fix, but a process that takes commitment and dedication.
The book also teaches that we can heal all problems in the world through forgiveness. It teaches us to see the world as God sees it: in peace, joy and love. Its emphasis on forgiveness and the recognition of God's forgiveness of all our sins is unique among spiritual teachings. Its message is that God's forgiveness of our mistakes is the only solution to any problem, no matter its severity.
A Course in Miracles was written by Helen Schucman, a Columbia University psychologist, and Bill Thetford, her husband and partner in life. They had become tired of the pain and anger in their marriage and sought out other ways to deal with their problems. They decided to open their hearts and minds to Love's call for forgiveness, and the process of “inner dictation” began. The voice that spoke to them was identified as Jesus Christ. It took the couple seven years to scribe and type the entire book. They did not reveal their names and have no claim to ownership of the Course. It has since been translated into 27 languages.
What Is A Course in Miracles About?
A Course in Miracles, or ACIM for short, is a spiritual thought system that was given to Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford by an inner voice that identified itself as Jesus. It is not a religion, but rather, a set of lessons designed to teach forgiveness as the means to experience eternal life. Its goal is undoing the illusion of separation, which means undoing everything that the ego tells us about ourselves, everyone else, and God. It does this by teaching a different way to forgive, and it emphasizes that there is only one God, and that all paths lead there in the end.
The Course consists of three books: the Text, which describes the spiritual thought system that it offers; the Workbook for Students, comprised of 365 daily lessons that encourages experiential learning over belief in a particular theology; and the Manual for Teachers, a set of answers to questions about ACIM's principles and applications. Unlike many other religious texts, the Course does not include any hierarchy of leaders or churches, and it does not have any formal organization or institute to rule over its followers. It is, instead, a self-study curriculum that has attracted millions of people to its lessons and teachings.
For the Course, miracles are experiences of perfect love, perfect peace, and perfect freedom that demonstrate the power of forgiveness to transform the mind. They show that it is possible to live beyond the ego's limited vision of reality, and are therefore a powerful tool for change. They are the expression of God's love, and as such, they cannot be faked.
The miracle is a shift of perception that moves the ego from its fixed beliefs and limits to a state of acceptance and trust in the eternal. It enables the believer to remember that they are not the body, but are part of the eternal Sonship of God. It is this shift that the miracle demonstrates, and thus it is a powerful tool for healing the world. It is this shift that all major spiritual traditions speak of, and it is the only thing that can free humanity from fear and suffering.
What Is A Course in Miracles Like?
A Course in Miracles is an enormous work of spiritual inspiration and profound psychological understanding of such concepts as belief and defense systems, perception and identity. Its language is often poetic and written in blank verse, which has led some to compare it to some of the world's great literature. Its thought system is intellectually sophisticated, combining spiritual inspiration with deep psychological understanding of such issues as guilt and fear. The Course is not a religious book, yet it has become an enduring modern spiritual classic that has sold millions of copies without paid advertising. It has been read by men and women of every religion and culture, ranging from the very skeptical to those who have dedicated their lives to it.
The Course was written by a Columbia University psychologist named Helen Schucman, who experienced it as a process of inner dictation that began in 1965. She referred to herself as the “scribe” of the Course, but it is claimed that she was simply the mouthpiece for a voice that identified itself as Jesus. The Course was completed in 1976, and Schucman died shortly thereafter. Her son, Bill, is the current president of the Foundation for Inner Peace, which holds the copyright to the book.
Despite using Christian terminology, A Course in Miracles is not a religion. It is designed as a self-study spiritual thought system that consists of three books: The Text, which lays out the principles of the Course; the Workbook for Students, which provides 365 daily lessons; and the Manual for Teachers, which answers questions about the material in the Workbook. The Course is ecumenical and clearly states that it is only one of many thousands of spiritual paths that lead to God.
Rather than teaching that Jesus Christ is a special being who was sent to earth to teach forgiveness, the Course emphasizes that everyone is equally God's Son or Christ. It is a path that offers freedom from the ego's beliefs and perceptions and leads to a true experience of love, peace, and unity. Its practice requires a change of mind, perception, and beliefs from the ego's version of reality to God's version, which is truly a miracle.
What Is A Course in Miracles Not?
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a three-volume set of books that claims to be the “esoteric bible that has gone mainstream.” It’s a spiritual thought system with a profound and deep psychology, which has affected the lives of thousands of people worldwide. It’s a huge influence on the fast-growing group of people who identify as spiritual but not religious.
The Course was written in a period of seven years, starting in 1965, by research psychologist Helen Schucman. She received the dictations through a process called inner dictation, where an inner voice spoke to her and stated, “This is a course in miracles, please take notes.” It was not published until 1976, after Schucman’s death, by the Foundation for Inner Peace. The voice that reportedly dictated the book identified itself as Jesus.
Critics of the course warn that it is a form of do-it-yourself psychospirituality, rather than the Bible or any other religious text. The Course teaches that the way to healing and salvation is through forgiveness. It also teaches that all of life is a manifestation of love, and that guilt is the only obstacle to true happiness.
In contrast, the Bible teaches that God created the world and all that is in it—physical matter, form, and the body. The Bible also teaches that sin is the separation from God and that our sins are not forgiven until we release them from our bodies.
Additionally, the Course differs from Christianity in its teaching about Jesus Christ. The Course claims that Jesus was not God incarnate, but an highly evolved human who became divine. In contrast, the Bible describes Jesus as fully God incarnate and that he was slain for our sins.
In addition, the Course uses language that is more in line with Eastern Advaita nondualism than Western Christian theology. It also does not recognize relationships such as cause-effect, father-son, and creator-creation. Consequently, critics of the course claim that it is a new religion in disguise. Nonetheless, many Catholics say that the Course resonates with them because of its use of familiar biblical verse and themes.
