A Course in Miracles is a major influence on the growing number of people who describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Un Curso de Milagros It could be considered the "esoteric bible" of this movement.
Though it does use Christian terminology, the metaphysics of ACIM are more aligned with Eastern mysticism than traditional Western religion. It also challenges many significant elements of contemporary Christianity.
What is ACIM?
ACIM is a spiritual teaching that encourages the experience of universal peace and joy by training the mind to replace fear with love. It is based on forgiveness as the key to transformation and calls for a complete reversal of perception, with acceptance that the physical world we see is a mass illusion (similar to Buddhist and Hindu notions of samsara and maya). It also teaches the importance of learning to recognize and release all fear-based thoughts. This is accomplished by applying the Course's "methods of healing," which include a practice of "quantum forgiveness."
The teachings of ACIM incorporate many Christian concepts and terminologies. Students of the Course believe that its teachings correct and clarify various traditional misunderstandings of certain portions of the Bible. However, its opponents point out that a substantial portion of the Course cannot be found in the teachings of most traditional Christian denominations.
Unlike other religions, ACIM does not have an established institute, church, or formal structure to govern and dictate how its followers should practice its principles. It has no pope or chief, no priests or churches, and no hierarchy of ranks and titles. The Course is a self-study text, and there are no designated teachers. However, there are several associated entities headed by Kenneth Wapnick that serve as teaching organizations.
One of these, Endeavor Academy, recently succeeded in partially overturning some of the copyright protections that the original publisher accorded ACIM materials. This has made ACIM more widely available and accessible.
A Course in Miracles teaches that our basic problem or conflict is that we think we are separate from God and each other. This mistaken belief causes our egos to believe that they are victims of real or imagined attack or persecution, and that this situation is unchangeable. The only solution to this dilemma, the Course teaches, is atonement or forgiveness.
It is this concept of forgiveness that makes the Course unique among other non-dual spiritual teachings. It emphasizes that the most effective way to practice forgiveness is moment-by-moment, not just in our interactions with others, but with ourselves as well. In fact, the Course teaches that our true Self is an eternal, loving and forgiving Being. When we recognize and accept this truth, our experiences in this physical world as the result of the ego's mistaken beliefs will be seen to be miraculous.
How does ACIM work?
Despite its heavy and sometimes confusing symphony of ideas, ACIM is the most popular spiritual path among those who identify themselves as “spiritual but not religious.” Its heady mix of reinterpreted Christian language, modern psychological thought and Eastern mysticism has made it a major influence on the ever-growing number of people who think of themselves as “spiritual but not necessarily religious.”
Its ultimate goal is to help a person discover that their ego self is an illusion and that they are an eternal and divine child of God. In this state, a person experiences perfect love and oneness, free of all guilt and fear. This is a state of true happiness that is the natural inheritance of all human beings.
In order to achieve this happiness, the Course teaches that a person must learn to forgive all their grievances against others and themselves. This process is called Quantum Forgiveness. Although many spiritual paths and therapies encourage forgiveness, ACIM is unique in its relentless emphasis on this practice as a way to change one’s thoughts from the fear-based beliefs of the ego to a belief system that is based on love.
A Course in Miracles was received by Helen Schucman as a series of inner dictations beginning in 1965. She transcribed and typed the text, which was edited by William Thetford and Kenneth Wapnick to produce the first professionally printed edition in 1976. The book consists of four volumes: the 669-page Text, the 466-page Workbook and the 92-page Teacher’s Manual.
In addition to promoting forgiveness, the Course offers a variety of other practices, such as meditation, prayer and group discussions. In addition, it promotes a specific prayer — the Prayer of Request — that asks for the release from judgment and condemnation of those who are not like us. This prayer is offered both to individuals and to the world as a whole. It is also believed that the Course can be used to heal the planet by healing the underlying polarity between light and darkness. Those who have studied the Course say that it has shifted their consciousness away from fear and separation and toward love and oneness.
What is the purpose of ACIM?
The purpose of ACIM is to help people to reclaim their natural inheritance of love and peace. ACIM teaches that this is possible through forgiveness, the practice of which helps to transform ego beliefs and perceptions. In this way, the course aims to bring about healing and awakening on both the individual and societal levels.
ACIM combines profound spiritual teachings with far-reaching and practical psychological insights. Its message is universal and appeals to spiritual seekers of all backgrounds. It argues that all paths lead to the same destination, and that true freedom is found in non-dual awareness.
A Course in Miracles is not a religion, but a self-study spiritual thought system. It consists of three books: the Text, which lays out the theoretical foundation upon which the Course's concepts are based; the Workbook for Students, which contains 365 daily lessons that emphasize experiential rather than intellectual learning; and the Manual for Teachers, which answers questions that arise in the study of the other two books. The Course does not assume that it is superior to any other spiritual teaching, but that serious students may progress faster if they use it in conjunction with other forms of study and meditation.
In the years since its publication, A Course in Miracles has become a modern spiritual classic with over three million copies sold worldwide. It has also influenced the work of many prominent writers and spiritual teachers, including Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, and Gary Renard. Despite its Christian terminology, the Course draws from many sources, including Western philosophy and Eastern mysticism. Its metaphysics is closer to Eastern mysticism than to traditional Western Christianity. It is a non-dualistic teaching and therefore has a strong appeal to people who consider themselves "spiritual but not religious."
The Course was dictated word for word through a process known as inner dictation by Columbia University psychologist Helen Schucman beginning in 1965. It was completed ten years later, and first published in 1976 by the Foundation for Inner Peace. It has no single author, and no one has claimed to be the author.
Who is Eckhart Tolle?
Eckhart Tolle is a New York Times best-selling author who has become one of the world’s most influential spiritual teachers. He is renowned for his profound understanding of human consciousness and has led thousands of people around the globe to a greater awareness of their own life’s purpose and the path to peace. His books The Power of Now and A New Earth have been translated into dozens of languages and sold millions of copies worldwide.
Eckhart is also the founder of The Foundation for A Course in Miracles, an organization whose mission is to awaken and heal the world’s suffering by changing how humanity thinks. He travels extensively, giving talks and hosting workshops and retreats in cities all over the world.
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a spiritual psychotherapy manual consisting of a 669 page text, a workbook for students containing 365 lessons (one for every day of the year), and a 92 page Manual for Teachers. It is a radical course in awakening and advocates forgiveness at every turn, helping students shift from a reality based on fear and separation to one based on love and unity.
As a teacher of ACIM, Tolle uses the teachings to help people overcome the pain and anxiety that permeate modern life. He believes that this suffering is caused by the ego’s attachment to an external world, and he uses the teachings of A Course in Miracles to show people how to move beyond these false beliefs.
Tolle’s views are influenced by a variety of spiritual traditions, including Buddhism and Christianity. He has stated that the only function of a spiritual teacher is to assist in the process of removing the blocks that prevent us from connecting with the truth within.
This online retreat explores the deeper meaning of the Course’s teaching that all things are teaching us if we are willing to see them as such. It is hosted by Diane Berke, a longtime student of A Course in Miracles and the author of Love Always Answers: Walking the Path of Miracles.