The wildly successful A Course In Miracles is one of the most popular spiritual teachings of our time. It is a self-study curriculum that presents a spiritual way of life based on contact with the Holy Spirit or "internal teacher." The Course mixes Christian terminology with Eastern mysticism, perennial philosophy, and modern psychological insights. Its popularity has been given a boost by work on attitudinal healing, the bestselling books of Marianne Williamson and Iyanla Vanzant, and ACIM study groups that have appeared in churches and prisons.
The Course, or ACIM as it is commonly known, began with two Columbia University psychologists who were frustrated by their own anger and division. One day they decided to find a more fulfilling life and set out on a journey to heal themselves. They had a series of vivid dreams leading up to a voice which told them: "This is a course in miracles; please take notes." Then the Course appeared to them as a series of numbered lessons. They transcribed these, word for word, and a book was produced. The text was published in 1976 and today is available in over twenty-five languages.
Helen Schucman, the author of the Course, was an unlikely mystic. She was born into a nonpracticing Jewish family and trained to be a psychologist at New York University. Yet, she had a deep desire for healing and found that the Course, as it is sometimes called, provided her with the tools she needed to do so.
What makes the Course so unique is that it claims to be a revelation from Jesus Christ himself. It is carefully designed to appeal to personal pride and can become almost addicting emotionally. It is also highly structured and intelligently organized. It is a masterpiece of spiritual strategy. It is a profoundly challenging and thought-provoking spiritual teaching, but one that can be very effective in helping the student achieve a more consistently happy and peaceful state of mind.
Unlike many religious or spiritual texts, A course in miracles is a complete course in mind training, and its principles are applicable to any human situation. It is a system of thought which helps the student remove the blocks to love and peace in their lives. Its practical approach to healing is widely appealing to people from all walks of life.
The Course consists of three books: the Text, the Workbook for Students, and the Manual for Teachers. Each of these books can be read on its own, but it is the relationship between these three that provides the learning experience. Book 1 is largely theoretical and sets forth the concepts on which the whole thought system of the Course is based. The Workbook for Students contains the 365 daily lessons that help students apply the ideas of the Text. And the Manual for Teachers, though it can be read by any student of the Course, is written to those who will extend the thought system of the Course to others.
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