The Mysteries of A Course in Miracles, Introduction

The Mysteries of A Course in Miracles
Introduction

Since A Course In Miracles was introduced to the public in 1976, a plethora of writings have sprung up commenting on it and explaining it.

A negative spin comes from mostly fundamentalist Christians who are upset that it claims to be a revelation from Jesus, but one that does not fit into orthodox interpretation. Thus, they view it as a crafty work of the devil himself made to lead the elect away from the real Christ.

I do not know of any full-length book critical of the Course, but there are many articles, videos and web pages attacking it.

On the other hand, most of the commentary on A Course in Miracles (ACIM for short) is positive, and there are many full-length books in addition to websites, podcasts, videos, symposiums and study groups making an attempt to explain to the average reader what the Course is really saying.

These authors and students mostly see the Course as a revelation of Christ and fully accept everything therein. The main question they try to answer is, “How can we best apply the teachings in our lives?” That seems to be the theme of every book I have examined on the Course itself.

So basically, writings and comments on the Course come from two camps. On the one side, we have those who reject the whole thing out of hand. Then, on the other, we have the true believers who accept it all without question and only wish to understand it better.

I know of no book delving into the Course where the author sees great value in the writings, but is prepared to take a dispassionate position on teachings that are controversial and difficult to understand.

Furthermore, ACIM covers numerous mysterious teachings that are not touched upon by writers who are trying to tell us how to apply the Course to have a better life, or to awaken. This ignored aspect of the Course needs to be examined and examined with dispassion and reason rather than merely as an affirmation of a belief system.

This book is different in three different ways from anything I have seen published to date.

(1) We will discuss mysteries and teachings from the Course that are of high interest to readers but have basically been ignored by other writers.

(2) Instead of presenting the writings from the starting point of total acceptance or rejection, we will take the position of the observer and see how each teaching registers with the internal truth detector, with pure reason and the Course itself. The writings will be accepted at face value unless otherwise stated.

The Course itself places strong emphasis on reason, telling us that most are suffering from a lack of it:

“You do not realize the whole extent to which the idea of separation has interfered with reason. Reason lies in the other self you have cut off from your awareness. And nothing you have allowed to stay in your awareness is capable of reason. How can the segment of the mind devoid of reason understand what reason is, or grasp the information it would give? All sorts of questions may arise in it, but if the basic question stems from reason, it will not ask it. Like all that stems from reason, the basic question is obvious, simple and remains unasked. But think not reason could not answer it.” T-21.V.4

This book will attempt to stay true to the direction of reason as well as that which is verified by the inner Self.

(3) Instead of merely telling readers how to better apply the principles of the Course, we will look into what is taught there (and sometimes not taught) that many have glossed over or missed completely.

Besides, if you want to know how to apply the Course to your life, there is nothing better than the Course itself to learn to do that. We will leave that aspect to others and move on to the new, the beautiful and the true – the mysteries of Divine Thought.

Read the Introduction HERE, Read Chapter One HERE. Chapter Two HERE, Chapter Three HERE, Chapter Four HERE, Chapter Five HERE Chapter Six HERE, Chapter Seven HERE, Chapter Eight HERE, Chapter Nine HERE, Chapter Ten HERE, Chapter Eleven HERE, Chapter Twelve HERE, Chapter Thirteen HERE, Chapter Fourteen HERE, Fifteen HERE, Sixteen HERE, Seventeen HERE, Eighteen HERE, Nineteen HERE, Twenty HERE, Twenty-One HERE, Twenty-Two HERE, Twenty-Three HERE, Twenty-Four HERE, Twenty-Five HERE, Twenty-Six HERE, Twenty-Seven HERE, Twenty-Eight HERE, Twenty-Nine HERE, Thirty HERE