A Course in Miracles is a set of three volumes containing written materials arranged as a self study program for a course in miracles spiritual transformation. Initially scribed and typed up during 1965-1972, the Course has sold over 3 million copies worldwide.

This page is a collection of questions and answers from the ACIM text made simple that can be used as an aid for learning the Course.
What is a Course in Miracles?

A Course in Miracles, sometimes referred to as ACIM, is a spiritual thought system designed to help people achieve personal transformation. It consists of three books—the Text, the Workbook for Students and the Manual for Teachers—and has been translated into twenty-five languages.

The Course was originally received as a process of "inner dictation" by Helen Schucman, who worked at Columbia University in New York City. She began to have inner visions and heightened dreams, and eventually heard a voice that said, "This is a course in miracles, please take notes."

After several years of preparation, the Course was published in 1976. Thousands of copies have since been sold, and a growing number of people have found it helpful in their lives.

It is a highly intellectually sophisticated, multi-faceted, and profoundly practical teaching. It combines spiritual inspiration with far-reaching psychological insights about such phenomena as belief and defense systems, perception and identity.

Often described as a "bible of the SBNR movement," A Course in Miracles is an influential teaching to many millions of people around the world who consider themselves to be "spiritual but not religious." As a result, it has become a major force in many aspects of modern life.

One of the most important lessons that A Course in Miracles teaches is to become aware of love's presence in our lives and to remove any blocks we may have to this awareness. To do this, we must be willing to see the world through a different lens, and to question our assumptions about life and ourselves.

A Course in Miracles is a self-study educational program for retraining the mind that is spiritual, rather than religious, in its perspective. It uses Christian terminology as symbols, but it also evokes universal, non-dual spiritual themes. It is ecumenical in nature, and it states that there are literally thousands of paths to God.
What is the Textbook?

A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a spiritual thought system that has influenced many thousands of people. It teaches that all of life is filled with love and joy, even when it seems to be a pain or difficult. It focuses on the importance of forgiving others and healing your relationships. It also explains that fear is an illusion, and that we are divine children of God.

The Course was scribed through inner dictation by Helen Schucman, who believed that Jesus spoke to her through her spirit. It is written on an intellectual level and combines sophisticated metaphysical, theological, and psychological concepts with spiritual inspiration. It is a complex and sometimes confusing book, especially in the language it uses.

Its message of forgiveness and peace is a universal one, and its teachings can be applied by people of all ages and backgrounds. It is a complete self-study curriculum, consisting of a Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers.

Although Helen Schucman was a psychologist, her teaching was not based on clinical expertise, but rather a spiritual experience she claimed to have had from Jesus. Assisted by her husband William Thetford, she received this teaching through a process of "inner dictation" that she believed came through the spirit of Jesus.

This book was originally a three-volume set, but after several years of editing it was published as a single volume. The main text, the Workbook for Students, and a Manual for Teachers form a complete self-study program to bring the student into a consistent state of peace.

While the Course is not for the faint of heart, it is an important spiritual guide and a valuable companion to other spiritual paths. It can be a powerful tool to help us discover and release our deepest feelings of guilt, shame, and resentment.

Forgiveness is the most basic step to spiritual transformation and healing. It is the key to experiencing the love and joy of God in our lives.

The Foundation for Inner Peace (FIP) was the publishing house chosen by Helen and Bill to publish their teachings. FIP has published the most recent copyrighted edition of A Course in Miracles and has sold over 3 million copies worldwide without any paid advertising.
What is the Manual for Teachers?

The Manual for Teachers is a part of A Course in Miracles. It is written in question and answer format, providing answers to some of the more likely questions students might have about the Course, as well as a clarification of many of the terms used in the Text. It was originally taken down a few years after the Course was completed, and is not intended to be a comprehensive or definitive guide to the Course's principles.

The manual for teachers is designed to help those who have matured enough in the path of a Course in Miracles to be able to extend its principles to others by personal demonstration, rather than simply verbal report. Its purpose is to show how a teacher can change his or her own mind away from the world's curriculum and towards one that is centered in God, instead of based on separation, judgment and fear.

In addition, this manual will help teachers learn how to create a classroom environment that is inclusive of all students. It includes activities, tips and lesson plans that will inspire and encourage teachers to become inclusive practitioners at school, classroom and individual levels.

A Course in Miracles, or ACIM for short, consists of three books: a Text, a Workbook for Students and a Manual for Teachers. All three volumes have different purposes and are meant to be read and studied in order to help the student achieve spiritual transformation.

To begin with, the Text and Workbook are arranged as teaching devices, which means that each book is designed to be taught in a particular way. For example, the Text explains the Course's concept of the "spiritual shepherd," while the Workbook guides the student through the practice and study of the Course.

But the Manual also addresses the idea of the "teacher of God," as opposed to the "healer." As I was reading through the text, it began to dawn on me that the Manual might actually be an attempt to describe how the Course sees its teachers. It begins with the question of separate versus shared interests, which is undoubtedly a central theme in the Course itself.