A Course In Miracles - What Is It?


A Course in Miracles Book

Is it a course, or is it a book?  It's both!  For those of you who are yet familiar with A Course in Miracles (ACIM for short), it is quite literally an entire course contained within one book, which is divided into three distinct sections.  The first section is known simply as the "text" and contains the theory of the Course.  It is beautifully written, as is the entire Course, rich with wisdom and truth, reason and logic, and while fulfilling our ego's intellectual "needs", it simultaneously floods us with love and gentleness, which part of our mind remembers perfectly.  While some people do indeed read the text straight through, from beginning to end, our experience has found that to be a rather rare occurrence.  This book can not be read like a novel, as it is walking us through concepts which have been DEEPLY buried in part of our mind,

even though another aspect  of our mind remembers the truth therein perfectly -- hence a term you will hear often in ACIM circles:  the split mind.  Our Guidance continues to advise that the text, and all of the Course, be explored as each individual is Guided by his or her inner Teacher.  There is no wrong way to approach it.

The section following the text is the Workbook, which consists of 365 lessons, to be done, theoretically, over the time frame of one year.  While we are instructed in the Course that it is perfectly acceptable to repeat a given lesson for more than one day, we are asked to never undertake more than one lesson per day.  Just as an aside, it took Amy approximately fourteen months to complete the lessons.  Ed has nearly completed them now, going on approximately sixteen months.  There are no hard and fast rules here.  Again, please listen to your own Guide.  We are discussing the lessons in more depth on the Workbook Lessons page.

The third section of the Course is the Teacher's Manual and a Clarification of Terms.  From our experience, there seems to be a tendency for folks to resist reading this section early on, as we feel, in our sense of littleness, that we're not teachers!  Well, J (what we often call Jesus, for short) teaches us that we are ALL teachers.  The call for teachers goes out to everyone, and it's really just a matter of choosing to hear the call. 

***Please note:  When purchasing the book "A Course In Miracles", please be careful to make sure your book contains all three sections.  Upon recent trips to the bookstores, we have noticed a hard-bound book, same blue in color, with the title "A Course In Miracles" on the front, which contains only the text (some version thereof) of the Course.  Please do not mistake this as the complete Course.****

As for what to read when and in what order, I'll let J answer that.  He says, from page 70 of the Manual for Teachers,  "This manual is not intended to answer all questions that both teacher and pupil may raise. In fact, it covers only a few of the more obvious ones, in terms of a brief summary of some of the major concepts in the text and workbook. It is not a substitute for either, but merely a supplement. While it is called a manual for teachers, it must be remembered that only time divides teacher and pupil, so that the difference is temporary by definition. In some cases, it may be helpful for the pupil to read the manual first. Others might do better to begin with the workbook. Still others may need to start at the more abstract level of the text."  Again, as he is saying here, it is a very individualized process.  Please listen to your own Guide.  Ask Him!!   

A Note About the Third Edition

After the Course was completed, J dictated additional material to Helen Schucman (the Course’s scribe) in which he taught about the true nature of prayer as well as the methodologies and misconceptions of psychotherapy.  The Foundation for Inner Peace (www.acim.org) has released a third edition of ACIM which includes a fourth section at the back of the book containing these additional dictations.  As quoted from their website:

"This Combined Volume, Third Edition of A Course in Miracles, is the only edition that contains in one place all of the writings that Dr. Helen Schucman, its Scribe, authorized to be printed. It is published solely by The Foundation for Inner Peace, the not-for-profit organization chosen by Dr. Schucman for this purpose.  The Combined Volume also includes the Supplements to A Course in Miracles, "Psychotherapy: Purpose, Process and Practice" and "The Song of Prayer." These sections are extensions of the Course principles, which were dictated to Dr. Schucman shortly after she completed A Course in Miracles.

This material is supplemental only and not to be considered part of the mind training curriculum itself, based for one thing on J’s instructions regarding which of the three sections to embark upon first, as cited above.   Prior to the Foundation’s inclusion of the Supplements in the Course itself, these writings from J were published in two small pamphlets, separate from the Course itself. 

                      

Please remember J’s gentle words from Chapter 1 where he reminds us that “...some of the later parts of the course rest too heavily on these earlier sections not to require their careful study. You will also need them for preparation. Without this, you may become much too fearful of what is to come to make constructive use of it.”   ACIM T.1.VII.4

 

The Course is akin to a living, breathing organism with workings and processes far from that which can be understood.  Its words and pages are but symbols used for convenience to reach us in our language that we must use for a while.  However, there is a Power at work between the words that, while beyond our comprehension, is making its way through our burgeoning willingness and into our hearts and minds.  We must find a trust within us to allow the process to unfold just as J has directed.  The moment we question and feel the need to “supplement” with more is the moment we have arrogantly assumed we know best.  We are asked to merely approach the Course with a willingness to learn and to see anew, while allowing J to instruct, trusting that he knows how to keep us from wandering into any more needless fear. 

While some may find it convenient to have the Supplements bound with the Course, they are not part of the mind training curriculum itself, so please do not confuse yourself needlessly.

 

All photography by Amy Barrington unless noted otherwise.