Here’s what the Course is not:
- It’s not a religion. You don’t have to join a church or follow any rituals. It is not a cult.
- It’s not a self-help book. While the Course can improve your life, it’s not about achieving worldly success or fixing external problems.
- It’s not a quick fix. The Course is a lifelong journey. It takes time and commitment.
To put it simply: A Course in Miracles is a self-study spiritual program. Its purpose is to help us move past fear and rediscover love, which the Course teaches is our natural state. That might sound simple, but it’s actually a complete shift in how most of us experience the world.
The Course is made up of three main parts:
1. The Text — Think of this as the foundation. It explains the big ideas behind the Course, like the nature of reality, the ego, forgiveness, and the idea that love is the only truth. When I first attempted to read the Text, it could have been written in ancient Greek – I understood little of what it was saying. I put the book down and forgot it on a shelf in my office. A few years later, I opened it; I was ready, and I was enchanted by what I was reading.
2. The Workbook for Students — This is where the real work happens. The Workbook contains 365 daily lessons, each designed to help you change your thinking. It’s less about learning new ideas and more about unlearning the fear-based beliefs most of us carry. Do one a day. There is no need to ‘study’ it until you get it. It will repeat itself and one day it will all come together and you will have your own “AHA” moment.
3. The Manual for Teachers — This section is geared toward those who feel called to share the Course’s teachings. But it’s not a formal guide to becoming a teacher. Instead, it offers practical insights that anyone can use. Even though the Course uses some Christian language, it’s not tied to any specific religion. It’s a spiritual path that anyone, from any background, can explore.
A Course in Miracles isn’t easily defined. It’s not a religion or a self-help program, but it also doesn’t fit neatly into any other category. What I can tell you is that it’s a profound spiritual teaching that has completely transformed how I see myself, other people, and the world.
The Course covers a lot of ground, but some ideas come up again and again. These are the teachings that may have the biggest impact on you:
1. Love and Fear Are the Only Two Choices
At the heart of the Course is the idea that there are only two emotions: love and fear. Every thought we think, every action we take, comes from one of these two places. Love is our natural state, while fear is a product of the ego — the part of us that feels separate from others and from God. How much is our life driven by fear: fear of rejection, fear of failure, fear of not being good enough, fear of death. The Course teaches that you do not have to live that way. You can choose love instead.
2. Forgiveness Is the Path to Freedom
Forgiveness is a major theme in the Course, but it’s not what most of us think of as forgiveness. It’s not about excusing bad behavior or letting someone off the hook. Instead, the Course describes forgiveness as a way of letting go of judgment and seeing the truth in others. The Course teaches that everyone we meet is either our crucifier or our savior, depending on how we choose to see them. At first, it was difficult to accept that how could someone who hurt me be my savior? But over time, you will come to realize that when you forgive others, you are really freeing yourself. You are letting go of anger, resentment, and the belief that you are a victim.
3. The World Is an Illusion
This might be the most challenging teaching in the Course. It says the world we see is an illusion—a projection of our own thoughts. That doesn’t mean the world isn’t real in a physical sense. It means that what we experience is shaped by our perceptions and beliefs. This concept ties in with the understanding of Quantum Physics. This idea may take you a long time to grasp. But the more you study the Course, the more you will see how true it is. When you shift your thoughts from fear to love, your experience of the world changes dramatically.
4. Miracles Are Shifts in Perception
The Course redefines what it means to experience a miracle. It’s not about walking on water or parting the sea. Instead, a miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love. When we let go of judgment, choose forgiveness, or see the world differently, we experience a miracle.
…and I have a dear friend whose life changed overnight when she read this one line:
“I can see peace instead of this.”
If you are interested in a study group, please contact me via messenger. There will be a gathering this coming Thursday, the 16th of January, at 5 pm in the Romantica/Emiliano Zapata Zone. For more information, please contact me via Messenger.
Thank you for reading my words and the love-based messages left by so many.
