A Course in Miracles Wiki

Millions of people have been transformed by the principles of A Course in Miracles, a self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy. In her book, Return to Love, Marianne Williamson acim shares the wisdom of these teachings.

A local study group, led by William Carpenter of Westerville, Ohio, is one of 2,000 groups worldwide dedicated to the course. The followers say it helps them find inner peace and forgive others.
How does it work?

One of the most recognizable New Age voices, Williamson is a best-selling author who teaches spiritual principles based on A Course in Miracles. The Course, which presents in lesson format a system of spirituality that proponents claim is the Third Testament of God to His people, has gained wide popularity over the past 35 years. It has been sold in some Catholic bookstores and is studied in many churches. But critics say that incorporating its principles into the Roman Catholic faith can seriously compromise beliefs.

The Course, which is not a religion but does refer to Jesus and God, was compiled between 1965 and 1972 by research psychologist Helen Schucman. She said the books were dictated to her by an inner voice that she later recognized as that of Jesus. Its popularity has drawn criticism from some church leaders, who say it is a form of occultism. Its adherents, including Democratic presidential candidate Williamson, have formed organizations that offer classes and hold workshops. They also publish Course-related material and promote conferences.

Despite being an atheist for most of her adult life, Williamson has become the most visible face of the Course movement and one of its most influential teachers. She has held seminars and lectured at theaters as large as the Ebell in Los Angeles. She has emphasized that the Course is not for the wealthy, and she often invites audience members to bring donations of food, clothing and money for local charities.

Her supporters, who can number in the thousands at her lectures, adore Williamson. They laud her beauty, but more importantly, they feel that she is speaking to their hearts. In her teachings, she makes the holy hospitable and makes ultimate truth relative as well as negotiable. She tells her followers to focus on their feelings and all else will follow. She has been likened to a priestess for a generation that is steeped in pop culture and obsessed with self-fulfillment. But she can be elusive, and her handlers insist that she avoids questions from reporters. Her publicist refuses to release sales figures for her books and cassette tapes.
What are the principles?

A Course in Miracles is a self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy. In the 1960s, a Columbia University professor of psychology named Helen Schucman was told by an inner voice to transcribe three volumes: a 669-page Text which provides the theoretical foundation for the thought system; a 488-page Workbook for Students containing 365 daily lessons designed to train the student's mind along the lines set forth in the Text; and a 92-page Manual for Teachers which defines terms used in the other two books, clarifies some of the more confusing sections of the Text, and describes how to lead study groups.

Millions of people have found the Course to be life-changing. Its positive messages have particular appeal for the Baby Boom generation that has spent so much energy on fear, addiction, and selfishness. Its core message is that there is only one reality -- love -- and that everything that happens is the result of a choice to love or to hate.

As we choose love, the world becomes more peaceful and a fulfilling relationship with God is possible. The principles of the Course teach that every person is innately powerful, and that forgiveness is the only way to release the illusion that we are separate individuals in physical form. Our true home is in the Heavens, and when we remember this truth, our lives will reflect its glory.

Putting the Course into practice means letting go of fear and trusting that the universe will provide for us. The Course also teaches that we must be willing to forgive others and ourselves, for it is only through forgiveness that we are released from the false belief that something outside of ourselves is guilty. This is the essence of the miracle concept: Forgiveness heals all relationships.

Marianne Williamson, whose best-seller A Return to Love explores the teachings of A Course in Miracles, says that she has seen miracles in her own life because of the principles taught by the Course. She believes that if more people applied the Course's principles, there would be no more war, hunger or violence. But she does not agree with some of the course's more controversial views, including the idea that it is a sin to use wealth for personal gain or that slavery and racism are a part of human history.
What are the exercises?

A Course in Miracles, or ACIM, is a modern spiritual text that trains the mind to replace fear with love. It has become a manifesto for new age culture and its followers, which include everyone from Gabrielle Bernstein to yoga teachers around the world. It has also helped to shape the beliefs of many who describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious.”

The book, which consists of a workbook and several audio recordings, was published in 1976 by Helen Schucman and William Thetford, professors of medical psychology at Columbia University in New York City. They claimed to have written the material through dictation from an inner voice they identified as Jesus. Its chief ideas are that God is a loving source that cannot be separated from Creation, that sin is an illusion and forgiveness is the perfect spiritual practice.

According to Williamson, a former cabaret singer who found the book on a coffee table in 1977, it radically changed her life. She began lecturing on the Course in 1983 and quickly gained a following. Unlike its schlubby founders, she brought glamour and charisma to the movement, which appealed to both secular seekers of a psychic nature and nominal Christians who wanted more “spiritual reality” in their lives.

A key part of the Course is a daily practice in which participants read and review passages from the workbook. Then they answer questions in a journal and write down the thoughts that arise. These thoughts are then reviewed and interpreted by the class in a group setting, and students are encouraged to accept the guidance of the psychic (spiritual) teacher as it applies to their personal experience.

Some critics say the Course promotes a form of New Age guruism, with its emphasis on individualism and ego-defence. Others say it is a cult that exploits the suffering of its followers. Others point to its esoteric language, which they say is borrowed from ancient Eastern religions and human potential psychology, and that it encourages participants to turn away from the Bible and true Christianity.

But for many who study the Course, it provides inspiration and direction in a world that can seem chaotic and scary. It can help them to reclaim their power to choose love over fear and find peace with themselves and the universe.
What are the benefits?

Whether you call it a religion or self-study program of spiritual psychotherapy, A Course in Miracles has found a large and growing audience among people who describe themselves as "spiritual but not religious." It has helped them find inner peace and forgive others, and made life make sense when other practices haven't. It also offers a view of the world that tries to avoid the suffering caused by the belief that we're separate from God and each other.

This view is based on a philosophy that grew out of New Thought in the late 19th century, as women revolted against a male-dominated medical establishment that treated them as feeble and inherently sickly. Founders of New Thought movements like Mary Baker Eddy and Louise Hay promoted alternative healing methods, including prayer and faith-based beliefs that illness is a result of erroneous perceptions.

The Course in Miracles focuses on the love of God and your brothers and sisters. It teaches that you can only be afraid of the world when you believe it is a threat to your survival, and that your true home is the loving presence of God. It also teaches that forgiveness is the ideal spiritual practice and the path to grace.

As an atheistic psychologist, Helen Schucman refused to acknowledge that she channeled the Course's ideas from a higher power. But her husband Bill, a New York Times journalist, became a tireless promoter and defender of the course. He encouraged her to speak publicly, and in 1983 he invited her to lead a group of Course students in Los Angeles. A former cabaret singer, she brought the glamour and charisma the Course needed to attract a wider audience.

She and her followers have since embraced the Course as their spiritual practice. It has influenced the work of other authors and has inspired a growing movement among young people to define their own spiritual beliefs. The Course's alleged authorship and challenge to Western religious tradition have made it controversial, especially in conservative Christian circles.

Those interested in learning more about the Course can get started by reading the text, Workbook for Students and Manual for Teachers, which are available in one book published by The Foundation for Inner Peace. You can also find audio recordings of the lectures that Williamson gave to her groups, which are archived at BetterListen!