Changing Lives Via a Course in Miracles
As the title implies, a course in miracles is really a teaching device. It teaches us what is real and what is unreal, and leads us to the direct experience of our very own Inner Teacher.
This course is arranged in three parts: a text, a workbook for college kids and a manual for teachers. The Text presents the concepts underlying the Course. The workbook contains 365 daily lessons that provide students the opportunity to apply and go through the concepts on a practical level. The teacher's manual is presented in the question and answer format, addressing typical questions a student may ask; additionally, it provides a clarification of terms used through the entire Course.
On How all of it Began
The Course was written by Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford, two experienced and successful Professors of Psychology at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. Helen was the scribe for your Course, writing down in shorthand the internal messages she received. Bill typed what Helen wrote. It took a total of seven years to finish a Course in Miracles, that was first published in 1976 in america. Helen wrote additional pamphlets. Her Song of Prayer was published in 1977 and The Gift of God in 1978.
Over the past 34 years, the buzz of A Course in Miracles has exploded and spread worldwide. It has been translated into 18 different languages plus more translations are in the works. Around the world, people gather with like-minded students to read the program together in order to better view the Course's message. In this era of electronic and social networking, A Course in Miracles can be acquired in e-book format, on CD, and throughout iPhone Apps. You can interact with other Course students on Facebook, Yahoo Groups, Twitter, and various other websites.
Experiencing and enjoying the Course
The Course is made to be a self-study tool. However, a lot of students find that their first interaction with the material is difficult and overwhelming - the modification in perspective it offers is unlike traditional thinking. Taking an introductory class using a trained facilitator or teacher allows for a gentler opening to these new ideas along with a more fulfilling experience.
There are many classes and courses of study in relation to the philosophy of the Course in Miracles, as well as specific classes on key Course concepts, including True Forgiveness or Expected outcomes. Such classes give students the opportunity experience the theory and application of specific material more deeply. Through such deep experience, a lot of students find the reassurance of inner peace as well as the joy of understanding the Inner Teacher.
"This Course is a beginning, not an end... You can forget specific lessons are assigned, because there is no more need of them. Henceforth, hear however the Voice for God... He can direct your efforts, suggesting exactly what to do, how to direct your mind, and when to come to Him alone, asking for His sure direction and his awesome certain Word (Workbook, p. 487).
