The Course in Miracles is a spiritual acim teaching that offers a new way to approach life. It is not meant to replace any religion, but to offer a different perspective.
Its premise is that forgiveness will release us from the fear and guilt that cause so much suffering in our lives. It is divided into three parts: A Course in Miracles; a Workbook for Students consisting of 365 meditation exercises; and a Manual for Teachers.
Book Condition
This Combined Volume includes the Text, Workbook for Students and Manual for Teachers of A Course in Miracles. This is the only version of the book that has all three volumes in one place and contains all that Helen Schucman, its Scribe, authorized to be printed. The Combined Volume contains the original Preface to A Course in Miracles, its 669-page Text and 478-page Workbook, and the 88-page Manual for Teachers.
This book is a spiritual and psychological path, not a religion. It uses Christian symbols as a metaphor, but it does not promote Christianity the way it is commonly practiced. It also gives a different meaning to common Christian terms such as the Son of God, and it speaks of a Christic way that is very different from the one most Christians follow.
It is written in the English language and contains a lot of Shakespearean phrases, iambic pentameter poetry, and blank verse, allusions to Shakespeare's Hamlet, and quotes from Plato's Allegory of the Cave and the Republic. Helen philosophically was a Platonist, and many of the thoughts expressed in A Course in Miracles are based on Platonic philosophy.
Some people have difficulty understanding this book. They may think it is too mystical or spiritual, or that it does not tell them how to live. But if you understand this book, it will be very helpful to your life. It is a guide that will help you to change your perspective of reality, and to see that everything is in our mind.
The a course in miracles used book is a series of teachings channelled through Helen Schucman, a Columbia University psychologist. The book began as an inner dictation from Jesus and was completed in seven years. It was first published in 1976 and is now translated into twenty-five languages. It is the only religious textbook that does not identify its author.
It combines teachings from the Bible, other ancient religious texts, and modern psychology. Its main themes are forgiveness and love. It teaches that these things are impossible without the Holy Spirit. It also teaches that the Holy Spirit is not a separate entity from God, and that God is not a person.
Book Contents
The Course in Miracles consists of three volumes: a 669-page Text, describing the theoretical foundations of its thought system; a 488-page Workbook, which provides 365 daily lessons to train the mind along the lines set forth in the Text; and a 92-page Manual for Teachers, which answers questions that might arise during study. Hundreds of study groups have been established, and the books have sold well beyond expectation.
The book teaches that the only way to release fear and guilt is through forgiveness of others. The goal of the teaching is to restore love to everyone and everything. Using the language of traditional Christianity, it explains how the mind can change from fear to love, and how this will foster peace in all relationships.
Although the Course uses Christian symbols, it is not a religion. It is ecumenical in nature and states that it does not teach "a universal theology or any path other than the one leading to God."
A Course in Miracles has become a worldwide phenomenon because it is both spiritual and psychological. It teaches that you must change your beliefs and habits in order to experience the truth of what you are. The course also focuses on healing the mind, changing our egos and our perception of ourselves and the world. It is the most popular spiritual work in the modern era and has inspired many people to live their lives more fully.
It is also an intellectually sophisticated text that incorporates spiritual inspiration with deep psychological understanding of phenomena such as belief systems, defense systems and perception. The Course's language is extraordinarily poetic, written in blank verse and iambic pentameter, which has led some to compare it to Shakespeare. It is also highly philosophical, with frequent references to Plato's Allegory of the Cave and his Republic.
The issue of who authored the Course has been a central concern for its readers since its publication. It has been debated in the media and even in the courts. However, whatever position you take on the issue should not affect your enjoyment or practice of the Course.
Book Cover
A Course in Miracles (often abbreviated ACIM) is a spiritual textbook that consists of three volumes: the Text, a Workbook for Students that contains 365 daily lessons and an accompanying Manual for Teachers. It’s been around for decades and has spawned numerous groups, all with different ideas on how to interpret it. The controversies surrounding the Course have become so heated that it has even reached the courts, where the issue of authorship is likely to determine its fate.
One side of the debate says that Helen, a Columbia University psychologist, was a scribe who wrote down what she perceived to be Jesus’ inner dictation. The other side says that the words of the Course are merely Helen’s interpretation of some formless, diffuse spiritual inspiration that she “channeled.”
Both sides have their supporters. The ACIM community is a diverse group that includes everything from Christian fundamentalists to agnostics. Many believe that the book has changed their lives, while others see it as just another New Age fad. Regardless of your opinion, it’s important to remember that the book is about forgiveness and love, not about who wrote it or what religion it’s part of.
The controversy over the Course’s authorship is actually an old one. It started with two Columbia University psychologists who were frustrated by the anger and division they saw in their own world. They decided to seek a better way, and the Course began as an inner dictation they identified as coming from Jesus. The scribes, Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford, took down the words of the Course over a period of seven years, beginning in 1965. They did not include their names in the work, and it is only recently that the Course has been officially published by its Foundation for Inner Peace.
The Course uses Christian symbols and language, but it evokes universal, non-dual spiritual themes that are common to Eastern spirituality. It also makes clear that it is not a religion, and that there are thousands of paths that lead to God.
Publisher
A Course in Miracles is widely considered to be a spiritual classic. It has been read and studied by millions of people worldwide, including those who identify as “spiritual but not religious.” The ACIM teachings have had a profound influence on New Age writers and spiritual teachers such as Eckhart Tolle, Gabrielle Bernstein, and Wayne Dyer.
The Course in Miracles is a three-volume set of books that was written through an inner dictation by Helen Schucman, a clinical psychologist at Columbia University, beginning in 1965. She claimed to have received the book from a “Master Teacher,” who identified Himself as Jesus. The book is organized as a self-study spiritual thought system and contains a Text, a Workbook for Students, and a Manual for Teachers. It is not a religion, but is designed as a comprehensive spiritual curriculum for healing and forgiveness.
Since its release, the claim that Jesus wrote the Course has generated a wide range of responses from devotional and lifelong commitment to dismissive disbelief and scorn. This controversy has resulted in the emergence of different versions of the Course, each with its own set of beliefs and interpretations.
While it is a matter of opinion whether Jesus actually dictated the Course, there are many arguments for its authenticity as an expression of Love. Some of the most important are:
1) The Course is in English, and the language is filled with Shakespearean blank verse and iambic pentameter, reflecting Helen’s fondness for poetry and Shakespeare. 2) Its philosophy is Platonic, as exemplified in the citation of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave from his Republic. 3) Helen was a student of psychology and a teacher at Columbia, so the textbook is informed by psychodynamic theory and pedagogy.
Another reason for the controversies surrounding the Course is that it uses Christian terminology and symbols, but does not describe itself as a religion. Instead, it emphasizes that there are thousands of spiritual paths that lead to God and that all are equally valid. While it is a profoundly spiritual and psychological path, there are also aspects of the teachings that seem very practical.
