A Course in Miracles

[sinbad]

This book has crossed my path now for the second time and I wonder if anybody on the forum has studied the Course? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with it.

[Sneaksuit]

I didn't take the course but I did read most of the book. It is similar to many channeled spiritual teachings and I found it a dry but valuable read.

[Triple 6]

This book has crossed my path now for the second time and I wonder if anybody on the forum has studied the Course? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with it.

Here is the original post. It clearly states " has anyone on the forum studied the course? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with it."
Apparently that was confusing for some of you, so I've bolded it for you. Stick to the topic.

[coffeeFreak]

Thanks Trip for cleaning this up to possibly allow some discussion

I remember my mother and a group of her friends were heavy into it in the early 90s. It gave her many insights and she will still look at it every now and then. After looking at the second link I posted below I discovered Marianne Williamson's book "A Return to Love" was based on a Course in Miracles (I had no idea). A friend and I really got into this book for a time and we found it to be very helpful and insightful. Here is a quote from her book that you may have heard before:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. ― Marianne Williamson, Return to Love

IMO,any little bit that helps people find internal peace is worth looking into. It doesn't mean a person has to go "all religious" or that it has any relation to religion. I know for me personally, my toolbox of "spirituality" includes many teachings...I take what fits for me and discard the rest.

Here are a couple of links:

http://acim.org/AboutACIM/how.html

http://www.skepdic.com/cim.html

[southy]

SInbad .. interesting in that the CIM has come into your life twice now. I was quite involve with the CIM back in the late 80's and 90's. The CIM is actually made up of three books which you may be aware of. I was extremely faithful the workbook .. daily readings. I also read the text daily as well. I attended a one week CIM meditation retreat in Lake Tahoe with a gentleman by the name of Tara Sighn .. he also has some excellent books out. The CIM is very personal and the journey for me was wonderful. I still read and explore happenings both in and outside my life as to how they relate to the Course. Bottom line is all the world is an illusion, a fear based illusion thanks to our ego driven mind. Try it ... find a group ... you've got nothing to lose .. except perhaps the illusion we all live under .... FEAR. All the best.

[DKwasnicki]

I find the Course to be life changing. I have been reading it and studying it for 15 years. Stay with it only if it feels right.

[BelieveNothing]

I also have studied the course in miracles, it came to me as part of my education through the various new age teachings.

The course is channeled material about Jesus's teachings - though not the same as what is found in the bible.

I did the daily lessons for a period and found them to be challenging but rewarding as any path into greater awareness of spirit and truth is.

The course seems to address our perspective, meaning, the course trains the student to perceive in a different way.

It helps one to cultivate ownership of ones experience in life as well as compassion and forgiveness.

It aims at atonement - at-one-ness

As another poster points out, the course helps us to perceive the illusion of our pain and suffering.

The course can and does work.

Marianne Williamson is probably THE BEST person to read or listen to to ascertain directly what the course is all about.

I will acknowledge that I personally no longer dabble in channelled material, no matter how good the message.

As with any belief system or training program, be discerning and do what feels right for you.

[good-cause-girl]

I am in the beginning of ACIM right now. It feels real and not religious at all even though it does speak Jesus and God.

To the OP ,,,,, did you open it? Did it change you?

It has been a couple of years since this first posted so it felt like a good time to ask.

As for me (even if no one cares)
I will continue with it because it has helped me understand where I am in the big thick of it all.
I no longer feel fear of some of the things I feared before. Not totally but better.
I understand I am part of something huge and we are all the same with different reasons why we are here.
I have become happy, like at a level I could never have thought. I was always on a constant low grade happy but now I feel lighter and some how more accepting of myself as a never -to-be- perfect work in progress. Also that I am on a path forward and all the crap that is behind me is only there if I choose to turn around and see it, which I am trying not to do anymore. Ahead is better, newer and brighter.

Being alive has become something I enjoy more now than ever before. I still have some pretty sh&t poor days and life issues but now I can understand 'me' better through it all. ACIM has changed me. I am a better human because of it. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you are searching and nothing is grabbing you, try it.

[cliffy1]

I am in the beginning of ACIM right now. It feels real and not religious at all even though it does speak Jesus and God.

To the OP ,,,,, did you open it? Did it change you?

It has been a couple of years since this first posted so it felt like a good time to ask.

As for me (even if no one cares)
I will continue with it because it has helped me understand where I am in the big thick of it all.
I no longer feel fear of some of the things I feared before. Not totally but better.
I understand I am part of something huge and we are all the same with different reasons why we are here.
I have become happy, like at a level I could never have thought. I was always on a constant low grade happy but now I feel lighter and some how more accepting of myself as a never -to-be- perfect work in progress. Also that I am on a path forward and all the crap that is behind me is only there if I choose to turn around and see it, which I am trying not to do anymore. Ahead is better, newer and brighter.

Being alive has become something I enjoy more now than ever before. I still have some pretty sh&t poor days and life issues but now I can understand 'me' better through it all. ACIM has changed me. I am a better human because of it. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you are searching and nothing is grabbing you, try it.

A wise person once told me that we are all at exactly the right place in our spiritual development. Their is no better way, just your way. Whatever feels the most comfortable and makes the most sense at this time, is what you need right now. There is no end to growth and perhaps one day you will move onto something else. Whatever makes you happy is the only thing that matters. Don't let anybody tell you otherwise.

[elskin]

There is a group of us that study the course together - we rotate our Wednesday evening 7PM meetings from Vernon to Enderby to Parker Cove (Westside Road). We'd love to have you join us should you be inclined. Lisa

[MelLandarian]

This book has crossed my path now for the second time and I wonder if anybody on the forum has studied the Course? If so, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences with it.

Greetings! I would like to pop in and mention that I have created a Facebook group for ACIM study group Kelowna if anyone would like to join. I think you have to ad me as a friend of Facebook and let me know you would like join. I’m fairly new to this so just figuring it all out. I am not qualified to teach the course but looking to link up with others who are studying and possibly start a weekly gathering.
I know this is an old thread but let see who’s around.

Mel Landarian on Facebook or try searching ‘A Course in Miracles Kelowna study group’