Who has studied A Course in Miracles... and what do you think?

[Abitofzen]

For the last month or so I have been playing with the exercises in the workbook from A Course in Miracles

The results have struck me as rather profound.

The Course gives ideas that can be practiced several times throughout the day (usually for just a minute or two), but also can be used anytime a challenging situation arises.

This is handy for setting a generally constructive/peaceful/accepting attitude for the day, and it also has helped me to remain present during difficult interactions.

I've written a little more extensively about this in a series of articles on my blog: A Course in Miracles... Day 1

I'm curious.

Has anyone else had powerful experiences through ACIM?

What were they?

Did they affect just you, or the people around you as well?

I thought this would be a fun area of discussion!

keep smiling,

Ben

[AirBreather]

Completed the course once, am doing it again (not fully - plan to restart in the new year).

Biggest shift would be the occassional realization of the divinity in all things.

[yoopersmith]

I love ACIM...

"The only way to keep is to give"

"Nothing real can be threatened..."

"Every moment is a choice between greivences and a miracle"

...yeah...I keep "the blue book" close and I quote from it often.

When I started only responding with love...my whole life changed...huge shift...I don't want to go back to fear...I'm here in love now...that's where I am staying.

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by AirBreather

Biggest shift would be the occassional realization of the divinity in all things.

That is a powerful shift!

I'm doing my best to make it a little less occasional...

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by yoopersmith

"Nothing real can be threatened..."

"And nothing unreal exists..."

I've started carrying my copy of ACIM virtually everywhere as well...

It is peaceful to read, and handy to remind you of the exercises!

keep smiling,

Ben

[dhethic]

I really, really like ACIM. I bought the book and the whole audio cd collection.

My problem with it, and please remember this is specific to my situation and not others', is that it really seems that it wants to wake us all the way up. Blow right out.

I like the idea of spiritual progression. I like the idea of waking up. I like the idea of fixing my head and getting past the veil. I'm just not sure that I'm ready to stop the whole game and never play it again.

I think ACIM's got it so right, that if you really apply the workbook, that's what'll happen. Boom! Blow right out.

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by dhethic

I like the idea of spiritual progression. I like the idea of waking up. I like the idea of fixing my head and getting past the veil. I'm just not sure that I'm ready to stop the whole game and never play it again.

I'm not finished with the workbook, yet (I am doing the exercises over a year... as suggested), so I don't know how far it runs down this path.

I'm committed to do the exercises... so, we'll see where that takes me

My personal attitude towards giving it all up... it's not about the material things... it's the attachment to them that must be given up... of course this may require going without them for a while in order to really let go.

keep smiling,

Ben

[lasti]

Seems to be a great book! ...
Anyone who wants to buy me a copy? You know... "the only way to keep is to give"!

[Cado]

I had the PDF sitting on my desktop for a long time. Could never bring myself to open it-the thought was acidic. I remember feeling as though my mind was nearly broken just after reading the excerpts in The Disappearance of the Universe.

Seeing that it's author channeled it at the behest of some pretty pushy spirits, it seems I'm right to be concerned. That's the biggest problem with it-it's really pushy, at least a lot of what I've read from it comes off that way. It also seems to stigmatize material existence.

It's up to people what they study, but in this case I always advise caution.

[AirBreather]

FYI all - the whole course is online, as well:

@ ACIM: Lesson Table of Contents

Blessings.

[lasti]

Originally Posted by AirBreather

FYI all - the whole course is online, as well:

@ ACIM: Lesson Table of Contents

Blessings.

Thank you so much!

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by Illustro Cado

It's up to people what they study, but in this case I always advise caution.

Nothing wrong with caution... particularly when nursing a broken mind

I don't think ACIM, or any other program or approach is right for everybody.

At this point, though, I'm deeply enjoying it. Some of what I've done already resonates with other meditative practices I've played with in the past... some of it does not. I'm looking within to see where this takes me.

I'm not overly concerned with how ACIM came into being. I find the exercises from the workbook to be challenging and useful. So I'm doing them.

I don't know if this thread is the right place... but I would love to hear what spiritual practice you have found useful...

keep smiling,

Ben

[yoopersmith]

Originally Posted by dhethic

I really, really like ACIM. I bought the book and the whole audio cd collection.

My problem with it, and please remember this is specific to my situation and not others', is that it really seems that it wants to wake us all the way up. Blow right out.

I like the idea of spiritual progression. I like the idea of waking up. I like the idea of fixing my head and getting past the veil. I'm just not sure that I'm ready to stop the whole game and never play it again.

I think ACIM's got it so right, that if you really apply the workbook, that's what'll happen. Boom! Blow right out.

That's what I thought...it is sort of true...but not really.

You will shift...but it's natural and gradual...you won't wake up one morning in heaven and say...WOAH!

More like each day, you will change a little bit and your external world will slowing become more loving in response to your love that you are putting into the world.

For me, it's been a lot of "three steps forward and two steps back" but overall...forward progress towards love.

Check out the works of all the big guys: Wayne Dyer, Joseph Campbell, Deepak Chopra et al...it's all the same message from different perspectives.

[sk8joyful]

Originally Posted by yoopersmith

"Every moment is a choice between greivences and a miracle"

When I started only responding with love...my whole life changed...huge shift...I don't want to go back to fear...I'm here in love now...that's where I am staying.

Good! that you realized principles of LOVE & resultant miracles you can help others also create.
Yet you don't need a derail like 'acim' to live like this,
a personal loving relationship with God/Jesus Christ generously helps you live such a precious life. And you're right: Each moment is a choice...

[Cado]

Originally Posted by Abitofzen

Nothing wrong with caution... particularly when nursing a broken mind

I don't think ACIM, or any other program or approach is right for everybody.

At this point, though, I'm deeply enjoying it. Some of what I've done already resonates with other meditative practices I've played with in the past... some of it does not. I'm looking within to see where this takes me.

I'm not overly concerned with how ACIM came into being. I find the exercises from the workbook to be challenging and useful. So I'm doing them.

I don't know if this thread is the right place... but I would love to hear what spiritual practice you have found useful...

keep smiling,

Ben

It's fairly complicated because it's an amalgamation of things, many of which borrow from other sources, and I've mainly taken what I want from the things I've studied and I've discarded the rest.

Some sources of note would be the Kybalion, books on alchemy and magick (ie, "On Becoming an Alchemist" "Practical Magic for Beginners),the Satanic Bible and other left-hand-path material, etc. Basically I take an approach that's the exact opposite of ACIM, though practitioners of ACIM might do some of the same things I do. Meditation, for instance, is practically a given for anyone that wants to excel at personal development.

[Declan JJ Lestat]

I really liked it, but it's not a quick/easy book to get through (But I like that!)

I'd recommend The Disappearance of The Universe by Gary R. Renard too. I seem to be recommending a lot of books today!

[chummy]

I have seen a blind man see, a lame man walk and some other miracles. The thing is that it occured in the setting of an organised religion. Another thing that struck me is that some of the people that were healed didn't expect to be healed. It just happened. I know religion is evil but things like this make me beleive that there is something more about life than meets the eye.

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by chummy

I have seen a blind man see, a lame man walk and some other miracles. The thing is that it occured in the setting of an organised religion. Another thing that struck me is that some of the people that were healed didn't expect to be healed. It just happened. I know religion is evil but things like this make me beleive that there is something more about life than meets the eye.

I'm not convinced that religion is 'evil'.

It has definitely done quite a bit of harm in human history... but it seems to have helped quite a bit, too.

As far as miracles go... the power of belief (your own belief or the belief of others) is powerful indeed.

Keep smiling,

Ben

[Betrade]

I watched an interview with a Franciscan priest (Fr. Benedict Groeschel; a very wise and well educated Priest IMO) who was good friends with the woman who co wrote ACIM; Helen Schuman.

He explained that while on her death bed; dying of pancreatic cancer and in extreme pain, she basically realized how wrong she was in her assertions about the non existence of suffering, along with lots of other things she had once believed before getting terminal cancer.

He said that she was totally disillusioned about what she had worked so hard to write' and in one of the most deep depressions he had ever witnessed in his life; and this is coming from a psychologist and a personal friend of Ms. Schuman.

Here's one article I found on Yahoo about this:

Helen Schucman author of "A Course in Miracles" and Fr Benedict Groeschel who delivered her eulogy ? - Yahoo! Answers

I read part of one of the books years ago and it seemed to contain lots of wisdom, nuggets of truth. etc., but after hearing about the woman who wrote it not even believing in it anymore; I just had to wonder "why"?? I also had to question the validity, authenticity and honesty of this so called channeled spirit.

I have no strong opinion one way or another; but this last episode of her life does cause me to question the authenticity of the source and how much of it is actual "truth". It's really hard to say one way or another; but I can't ignore what this priest revealed about his friend and her work; because I respect this man's wisdom, credentials, as well as many of his opinions.

[AirBreather]

Would need a confirmation on this, but I believe the writer (/channeller, depending on your view) did not actually *do* the Course herself.

Bit of a paradox. Assuming that (above) is correct, as well as the death-bed mentions - she was speaking of something she did not directly *experience*.

Regardless!

It could be channelled by poodles - if the benefits of following it are positive to *others*, it does not matter.

[Declan JJ Lestat]

Originally Posted by chummy

I have seen a blind man see, a lame man walk and some other miracles. The thing is that it occured in the setting of an organised religion. Another thing that struck me is that some of the people that were healed didn't expect to be healed. It just happened. I know religion is evil but things like this make me beleive that there is something more about life than meets the eye.

You "know" religion is evil and yet admit there is more to life than meets the eye... interesting.

[Curtis2011]

Originally Posted by dhethic

I'm just not sure that I'm ready to stop the whole game and never play it again.

This is my attitude as well. But from Dr. Hawkins' teachings, I think there is good news for us. He said "At a certain level of consciousness, it is integrous to want to be successful in the physical world".

I think what this means for us is that right now, we have a desire to go out and be successful and master the physical world. And later, after we have achieved the success we desire here, our desire will shift from mastering the physical world to transcending it altogether.

It is just as he said "At the level of the Sage, one is perfectly content to sit and let the world pass by. But from the viewpoint of Courage, that is totally undesirable. At Courage you desire to go out and fight for a cause" (paraphrased).

I think at level 350+ we really begin our mastery of the physical world, and once we reach ~500 our desires will shift from physical to more and more spiritual.

So, even though Enlightenment is the end goal, first we have to master the physical world before we can transcend it.

[yoopersmith]

Originally Posted by sk8joyful

Good! that you realized principles of LOVE & resultant miracles you can help others also create.
Yet you don't need a derail like 'acim' to live like this,
a personal loving relationship with God/Jesus Christ generously helps you live such a precious life. And you're right: Each moment is a choice...

I'm not sure what you mean by a derail here...??

ACIM is not for everyone, those who like it, then it's a rail (?) not a derail...unless of course getting derailed is your goal...then it's all good!!

[Diandra25]

for someone like me.who never red the book and who is still a newbie...


What is the theme?

What are your conclusions about the book?

It talks about what,in a general way?

Is is something that you would recommend for someone like me?

Thank you

[AirBreather]

Originally Posted by Diandra25

for someone like me.who never red the book and who is still a newbie...


What is the theme?

What are your conclusions about the book?

It talks about what,in a general way?

Is is something that you would recommend for someone like me?

Thank you

None of the answers would make sense (from my perspective). It is the *work book* that is being referred to (the 'Course' of A Course in Miracles).

If you are open to spiritual development with the languaging/themes of judeo-christianity, check it out. If not - *shrug*

[Diandra25]

a friend of mine already said im not ready

i´ll wait till i feel prepared.

[dhethic]

As AirBreather points out, the spiritual text portion of ACIM is heavily couched in judeo-christian language and themes. Amusingly, they redefine just about all of them as they use them, but still, it at least sounds familiar to someone steeped in stereotypical western religion.

Because of this, I'd say that's a very good deal for skeptical people who are interested in branching out of their comfort zone, but who aren't yet willing to completely abandon their belief structure. If that sounds like you, then sure. If you're on these forums, though, that's probably not the case.

The text of ACIM is certainly not -only- for people from a judeo-christian background, but it's pretty thick and a bit too opaque for my general reading tastes, and anecdotally I'd say that seems to be a general sentiment. The workbook is fuggin awesome though.

If you want to get an archetypal american mom into spirituality (as opposed to religion) and The Power of Now won't work, ACIM may. For someone who already digs Tolle, the ACIM workbook is good stuff. Very easy, very practical, but also very deep with far-reaching implications about daily life.

[Cantando]

I read about 200 pages years ago, then yawned.

The usual new age fare -a sickly-sweet, fawning, hypnagogic, unctuous mish-mash of various doctrines.

OK, if you are prone to bursting into tears at the drop of a hat.

Once you put it down, you can't pick it up.

Apart from that, I thought it was wonderful.

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by AirBreather

It could be channelled by poodles - if the benefits of following it are positive to *others*, it does not matter.

And there you have it.

Utility!

Not useful based on the author's perceived credibility, useful based on practice and observation.

keep smiling,

Ben

[Abitofzen]

Originally Posted by Cantando

I read about 200 pages years ago, then yawned.

The usual new age fare -a sickly-sweet, fawning, hypnagogic, unctuous mish-mash of various doctrines.

OK, if you are prone to bursting into tears at the drop of a hat.

Once you put it down, you can't pick it up.

Apart from that, I thought it was wonderful.

no, no... don't hold back... Tell us how you really feel!

Were you studying/practicing the workbook?

Because I'm not really that into the original text myself... the portion for teachers looks good, but I'll get to it when I'm finished with the workbook.

keep smiling,

Ben