Welcome back to the ACIM Book Club!

We’re now in Week 2 of Chapter 3 in the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes.

This is the final week of Chapter 3. Note that we have six sections this week, rather than five, just so we wouldn’t have a single reading day next week.

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club to access Chapters 1 and 2, and all weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Printable Schedule

Chap 3 Week 2 Schedule

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Section 6, The Divided Mind

Frequent Reminder:

My will is strong; I choose correct perception now.

Summary:

Before the separation, my mind was unified, unequivocal, and absolutely certain. But when I chose to separate, I divided my mind into different levels that want different things and thus are forever in conflict. Being divided now, my mind is anxious and confused. Its functions are equivocal, because I am unsure how I will use them. I no longer know, but merely perceive. The only solution to this entire untenable state is to return to my natural state of knowledge, not by counteracting error with knowledge, but by letting my errors of perception be undone. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Can you relate to the picture of mind sketched here, in which you stand in the dark, questioning everything, wondering if this person or that thing is going to harm you? And not knowing who you actually are yourself? And on the flip side: how do you feel about the idea that the natural state of your mind is absolute? That it knows everything about everything simply because it is everything?

Section 7, Beyond Perception

Frequent Reminder:

I know myself only in the One Light of God.

Summary:

God created me as His miracle, with total knowledge of Him. But I let perception intrude. Now I am sure of nothing. I try to interpret what things mean by judging what has importance and what lacks it. I constantly wonder what I am, believing that I am an image of my own making. My abilities are mere shadows of my real strengths. Using my ingenuity, I make things to fill my sense of lack. My perception, my abilities, and my making all rest on lack. The only way out is to perceive correctly, through forgiveness and prayer. Then I can return to “lack of lack”—the state of knowledge. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How aware are you of constantly asking yourself the question “What am I?” What are the ways in which you try to modify yourself or change your image in order to come up with a better answer to that question? How does it feel when you take a moment to imagine that your actual identity is set forever by God and is incapable of even the slightest modicum of change?

Section 8, The Essential Goal of Therapy

Frequent Reminder:

I am not an image.

Summary:

The therapist is an equal who can simply help the patient straighten out his perceptions, so that his negativity turns to true courtesy and helpfulness. I believe that my parents’ misperceptions of me hurt me. But I chose to believe their negative image of me, as a spiteful act that would justify me punishing them. I thus did it to myself. The truth is that I am not an image and I cannot be hurt. If I realize this, I can truly forgive them. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How easy is it to accept the idea that people who carry false images of you didn’t hurt you, but that you carry those images around to hurt yourself in order to justify punishing them?

Steps to forgive others’ mis-perceptions of us:

Step 1: Recognize we are not victims of anyone else’s false images of us because it was us who held onto those images as if they were real.

Step 2: Recognize that no image of us is real. Remember that we cannot be seen, only known.

Step 3: Ask ourselves why we chose to let in (and hold onto) this misperception of our worth? Did we do this to justify punishing them?

Step 4: To heal, we need to replace our desire to punish with a forgiving orientation toward them, based on the idea that our true identity cannot be shaken or hurt in any way.

Section 9, The Fear of Teaching

Frequent Reminder:

Who I am is not up to me.

Summary:

A teacher is there to give away all that he has, abolishing any inequality with his pupils. His role is the same as Jesus’—the invaluable one of leading himself and others out of the desert. To do this, though, he cannot be afraid of teaching. He must refuse to give his pupils authority over his self-perception. Instead, he must begin by knowing he is there. He will lose all fear of teaching when he knows who he is. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Do you have the belief in you—even to a small degree—that being a teacher must come out of a desire to be superior? Could this belief be an attempt to justify your own fear of teaching? Or even to justify your own fear of learning?

Section 10, Judgment and the Authority Problem

Frequent Reminder:

I know what I am, and I will to accept my own inheritance.

Summary:

The basis for perception is judging which elements to accept and which to reject. This entails great strain, for I fear all that I have rejected. I hold onto judgment because I wish to be the author of reality and of myself. This is the authority problem, the denial of God’s authorship. Because God is the Author, I can look on everyone and everything without judgment and merely know it is there. This will bring deep peace. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

When you get in touch with the desire in you to be the author of reality, how would you describe that desire? What descriptive terms come to mind? What images come to mind?

Section 11, The Unshakable Foundation

Frequent Reminder:

My starting point is truth, and I must return to this beginning.

Summary:

The foundation for my whole thought system is the authority problem, my denial that God authored me. I believe I am a self-concept that I made, which means I believe I created myself. This belief is the root of the separation and what has traditionally been called the devil. I need to recognize the power I have placed in this foundation and then dismiss it. I must return to my true, unshakable foundation: my creation by God. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How much have you felt that your self-concept depended on the image you made and projected? How willing or resistant are you to being defined by God and not by yourself?

Welcome back to the ACIM Book Club!

We’re now moving into Chapter 3 of the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes.

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club to access Chapters 1 and 2, and all weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Extracurricular

Why Did Jesus Die? Robert and Emily Perry, Circle of Atonement Podcast

Cameo Essay 14 (CE, Appendix 1): “The Chain of Miscreation”

Cameo Essay 15 (CE, Appendix 1): “Edgar Cayce”

Printable Schedule

Chap 3 Week 1 Schedule

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Section 1, The Need to Study

Frequent Reminder:

I am training my mind to prepare myself for God.

Summary:

To be a good student, I need to study this course, to see my problems as being answered there, and to assign myself study and review periods. As I read, I must not use the defense of pseudo-retardation, where I act like I don’t understand what I in fact do. Study will give me the solid foundation I need, so that when I encounter God, I will experience Him with the appropriate wondrous awe, rather than misinterpreting that awe as fear. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

What is your relationship with study on a spiritual path? To what degree would you say that you actually “study” the Course? Based on this section, what relationship with study would you like to have?

Section 2, Special Principles for Miracle Workers

Frequent Reminder:

Miraculous forgiveness involves only correction, not my judgment.

Summary:

Miracle receivers have two aspects: their true reality and the identity and errors they have made. If I regard the second aspect as real, and thus get caught up in evaluating their errors, my response to them will be judgmental. But if I regard only the first aspect as real, my response will be nothing but a desire to heal. I will forget about their errors and other lower-order concerns. I will give them a miracle. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

When you face someone who needs your help, or your forgiveness, or your blessing, do you occupy your mind with thoughts about the details of what they did? What do you think it would feel like to focus only on that person’s reality as spirit and ignore the other concerns entirely?

Section 3, Atonement without Sacrifice

Frequent Reminder:

Innocence is my true state of mind as God’s holy Son.

Summary:

Atonement seems to come from some form of sacrifice that pays for sins. We see this in the Christian doctrine of the Atonement, in which God punished His pure Son in order to pay for the world’s sins. But God does not think that way. In fact, Atonement arises from perfect innocence, which is also strength. This was demonstrated in the resurrection, where Jesus proved that his harmless innocence was also indestructible strength. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

What has your personal history been with Jesus’ crucifixion? What has it meant to you in the past and what does it mean to you now? Have you seen it as him dying for our sins? What do you see as the downside of that concept?

Section 4, Innocent Perception

Frequent Reminder:

Today, my innocence perceives everything as innocent.

Summary:

When innocence is universally applied, it becomes wisdom. It sees only what is real, the perfection that God created, and never sees what does not exist. When I lack confidence in others, I am siding with (and thus reinforcing) their misperceptions. I need to withdraw my faith in those illusions and invest it only in their true perfection. By validating the truth in them, I will cancel out misperceptions both in them and in myself. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

This section states that wisdom comes from seeing all things as innocent. How does that make you feel when you look at innocence from the framework of society’s eyes (which sees things as innocent only by degrees)?

Section 5, Perception versus Knowledge

Frequent Reminder:

Help me see my brother as he really is, and thus release both him and me.

Summary:

Knowledge is fundamentally different from perception. It is a gift of God that comes through revelation. It yields absolute certainty that is timeless and beyond question. Perception, in contrast, is inherently uncertain. Being time-bound, it constantly changes, asking questions in search of answers. To return to knowledge, I must see my brother as he really is, which will inspire love for him. Only then am I ready to know him again. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Have you started a regular practice of seeing every person as a holy Son of God? Even though your physical eyes still see the body, and your memory still holds this person’s history, what’s is like to also hold the thought that they are the holy Son of God? Can you imagine what it would be like if you trained yourself to get better and better at seeing everyone like this?

Welcome back to the ACIM Book Club!

We’re in the final week of Chapter 2 in Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles.

Chapter 3 update: I’m working on it now but it’s a slow process to make all the videos. In the meantime we’ll resume with our regular ForgiveNest Podcast episodes, and please see Barry Chaffee’s CE study group below, under ‘Extracurricular’.

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access ALL weeks and reading days to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Extracurricular

Reframing the Last Judgment - Robert and Emily Perry, Exploring A Course in Miracles Podcast

CE Study Group with Barry Chaffee - Thursdays 7-8:30pm ET via Zoom. This group just started and there’s still time to join. Barry is one of my ACIM colleagues and is a certified CE study group leader. This is a free program, donations accepted.

Printable Schedule

Chapter 2 Week 3 Schedule

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ACIM Practice: Your Own Life Review

Based on Section 13, The Real Meaning of the Last Judgment

Section 10, The Real Power of the Mind

Frequent Reminder:

Today I allow you to help me guard my thoughts carefully.

Summary:

I do not appreciate the real power of the mind. It is always producing something and can literally move mountains. I don’t believe this because I am afraid of what it might do. I may have been told that I can think anything I want, as long as I don’t act on it. But instead I must accept the power of my mind and, as a result, constantly guard my thoughts. If I leave my mind unguarded, I cannot help Jesus by being a miracle worker. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How successful have you been at guarding your thoughts? If you were to seriously aim at guarding your thoughts all the time, how might you go about that?

Section 11, The Basic Conflict

Frequent Reminder:

I will to stop mis-creating now, and accept Atonement for all my past mis-creations.

Summary:

The destructive energy stored in the unconscious gives rise to internal conflict. I need to realize that this unconscious destructive energy is something I put in place with my own unwatched thoughts. The basis for being released from it is, first, acknowledging that it’s there, but then second, denying that it has any ultimate reality. I need to immediately stop depositing this energy in the unconscious and accept the Atonement for the undoing of what I deposited in the past. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

When Jesus says “The unwatched mind is responsible for the whole content of the unconscious,” what does that bring up in you? What kind of thoughts do you think are there in your unwatched mind? What kind of emotions and reactions would come out of an unconscious programmed by those thoughts?

Section 12, The Mastery of Love

Frequent Reminder:

I am a master of love, and so free myself from fear today.

Summary:

The only way to deal with fear seems to be to control it, to master it. Rather than mastering fear, though, I need to master love—become highly proficient in love. Since love is everything and “fear is really nothing,” accepting love into my mind is like lighting a lamp in the darkness. The darkness of fear will be banished. Before I can master love, I must first be ready. There is a long road from readiness to mastery, but Jesus can shorten it. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How much do you try to master fear by pretending it isn’t there or by trying to override it? How do you feel about the goal of mastering love instead? Can you see this in yourself?

Section 13, The Real Meaning of the Last Judgment

Frequent Reminder:

I look upon what I have made and preserve only what is lovable.

Summary:

The traditional notion of the Last Judgment is a great source of fear, but that notion is false. In fact, the Last Judgment is not a case of God judging souls and throwing the bad ones in hell. Rather, it is one of us judging our own thoughts and deeds and retaining only the good, the true. As such, it is “the doorway to life.” ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Prior to the Course, what was your relationship with the Last Judgment? Did you believe in it? Did you ever think of it? Was it a source of fear for you? Based on the Course’s concept of the Last Judgment, what kind of relationship would you like to have with it?

Chapter 2 Review

Please review the summaries for each section as a review. Summaries are located under the section videos.

Key Themes in Chapter 2

• True denial - to defend truth against error

• Power of will/thought - we are always creating or mis-creating something

• Level confusion - the body is not our real identity

• Superficial subconscious - a depository for our unwatched thoughts

• The body as a learning device - it cannot make itself sick

• The separation - we are not fallen creatures; we are dreaming an illusion

• Last Judgment - we are the ones who evaluate our own past actions

• Fear - I willed for it and so I must will for love instead

• Correcting fear - we must practice to eliminate it, not control it

• Accepting Atonement - I accept it for myself so that I can heal others

Welcome back to the ACIM Book Club!

We’re on Week 2 of Chapter 2 in the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles.

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club to access Chapter 1 and all weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Extracurricular

• Cameo Essay 12 (CE, Appendix 1): “Defenses Are Being Used Much Better”

• Cameo Essay 13 (CE, Appendix 1): “God Created Time?”

• Article (Robert Perry): The Sole Responsibility of the Miracle Worker

Printable Schedule

Chapter 2 Week 2 Schedule

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ACIM Practice: 4-Step Correction of Fear (with music)

Based on Section 9 — The Correction of Fear

Section 5, The Atonement as Defense

Frequent Reminder:

The Atonement frees myself from the past today.

Summary:

Because the normal two-edged defenses were not enough to save humanity, a defense was established that can only be used constructively: the Atonement. It “was built into the space-time belief” so that learning could finally be made complete. It undoes past errors, so that one is freed from just repeating the same errors over and over, and can move ahead toward the state of perfection, in which there is nothing to learn. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Have you ever had an experience in which an error or mistake you felt locked into was suddenly lifted from your mind? How does it feel to see that as the action of Atonement?

Section 6, The Restoration of the Altar

Frequent Reminder:

I choose to look upon the altar of God today.

Summary:

Atonement is not a matter of the body or externals. It is about opening the altar within to break open the inner light. It is only a matter of time before this occurs. Eventually, everyone realizes “that there must be a better way.” This leads to the opening of the spiritual eye, which looks within and sees that the altar has been defiled. It then looks to past error to the Atonement. And then the chalice of the Atonement will be placed at the center of the inner altar. (Atonement: the wiping away of the errors that separate us from God, based on the principle that they never really occurred.) ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Can you relate to deciding that you are no longer willing to tolerate the pain and that there must be a better way? How far along do you think you are in the process of using your will to decide to see the internal versus the external? What are your experiences of using your spiritual eye up to this point?

Section 7, The Miracle as the Means of Healing

Frequent Reminder:

All healing occurs in my mind. My body merely responds.

Summary:

The body cannot cause its own illness. It is merely a learning device for the mind. Illness is always a result of error in the mind. Physical medicines are magic—the belief that there is an independent power in matter that can operate on the mind. Illness should be healed by miracles. However, if this would cause fear in the receiver or ego-inflation in the giver, then “it is safer for them to rely temporarily on physical healing devices.” ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

We learned that miracles which heal the mind do trickle down into the body. Does that bring up skepticism in you about the miracle’s ability to heal the body? What kinds of body remedies do you still need to use to feel less fearful of the miracle?

Section 8, The Sole Responsibility of the Miracle Worker

Frequent Reminder:

I accept Atonement so I can help and heal others.

Summary:

Miracles are an expression of right-mindedness. To give a miracle, I must be free of fear and in my right mind, which is the same as saying I must accept the Atonement for myself. Once I do this, I can only heal. This entails being willing to look at the defilement of my inner altar. And it entails perceiving the miracle receiver with charity, which lets me see “the true perfection of another, even if he cannot perceive it himself.” ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How does it feel knowing that “accepting Atonement yourself” is so that you can offer it to others? What effect does this have on you in relation to being a miracle worker?

Section 9, The Correction of Fear

Frequent Reminder:

I pray that my fear be replaced by an active sense of your love.

Summary:

I regard fear as involuntary, something I can only cover up or ask Jesus to magically remove. Instead, I must realize that it is produced by my mind when I have chosen to will lovelessly. I strain to cover this up with better behavior, but then I live in fear that the underlying lovelessness will escape and do damage. The real solution is to recognize my fear and allow the Atonement to come in and elevate my will, filling it with Jesus’ perfect love. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

How willing are you to accept that the fear you feel is not involuntary and that its correction is the responsibility of your own will? How do you relate personally to the idea that your fear comes from the “behavior-will conflict”, from trying to control your behavior of a hidden wish in your mind?

4-Step Fear Correction Practice:

1. Know this is fear without trying to control it or push it away.

2. Recognize that you must have chosen (willed for) this fear over of love.

3. Ask for help in choosing love instead: “I pray that my fear be replaced by an active sense of your love.”

4. See anyone else involved as perfectly equal, perfectly holy and perfectly worthy of love and forgiveness. “…this is a sign of real respect from the worthy to the worthy.”

The Atonement Prayer

I would like to pray that my will be united with thine, recognizing that thy perfect love will suffice (or correct) for my imperfect love.

I pray that I may accept the Atonement with conviction, recognizing its inestimable worth, and my own divine worth as part of this identification with thine.

I pray that my fear be replaced by an active sense of thy love, and thy continual willingness to help me overcome the split or divided will which is responsible for my difficulty with this.

I accept the divinity of the messages I have received, and affirm my will in both accepting and acting upon the Atonement principle.

Here I am.

[ACIM CE T-2.IX.14:2-6]

Welcome back to the ACIM Book Club!

We’re back to review Chapter 2 of the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes.

SCROLL FOR VIDEO COMMENTARIES

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access all chapters and reading weeks to date. (Use this link to review Chapter 1, for instance.)

ACIM Book Club Links

Extracurricular

The Pull of God - Robert and Emily Perry, Exploring A Course in Miracles Podcast

Printable Schedule

Chapter 2 Week 1 Schedule

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ACIM Practice: Right Use of Defense

Section 1, Part 1 (paras 1-12) The Real Meaning of Possession

Frequent Reminder:

Father, today I yield to the irresistible pull back to You.

Summary:

I have an irresistible attraction to being “possessed” by God—to wholly belong to Him. This frightens me, so I distort it into four false versions: 1) possessing (or being possessed by) other bodies (as in sexuality), 2) possessing things, 3) being possessed by (or possessing/controlling) the Spirit or spirits, and 4) possessing knowledge. These cause fear in their own right, so I try to “force discontinuance” of them with various denial mechanisms, which then impair my ability to operate effectively. The real solution is to realize that no one and nothing outside me can possess me. I am “perfectly unaffected by all expressions of lack of love.” ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

Does the idea that you have an irresistible attraction to God bring up fear or resistance? What do you think would happen if you stopped denying the irresistible attraction and simply yielded to it? Finally, what does it bring up for you to hear that the other forms of possession—like wanting to possess other bodies or things—are really just distorted forms of wanting to belong wholly to God?

Section 1, Part 2 (paras 13-26) The Real Meaning of Possession

Frequent Reminder:

Today I am perfectly unaffected by all expressions of lack of love.

Summary:

Same as Day 1 (see above)

To Ponder:

Which of the four false versions of possession do you most relate to: 1) possessing other people, especially their bodies, or fear of being possessed by them. 2) possessing material things, 3) being possessed by or possessing the Spirit or spirits, 4) possessing knowledge. Is it possible that you unconsciously engineered what Jesus calls a “denial mechanism” to force yourself to stop? What is the real solution that Jesus puts forth?

Section 2, The Cause of the Separation

Frequent Reminder:

I’m dreaming of separation, and choose now to awaken.

Summary:

The Garden of Eden represents the pre-separation state, in which, having been created perfect, I needed nothing. I, however, believed that I could change what God created and essentially create myself. Yet I did not really change anything. I merely fell asleep and began experiencing nightmares. Now I must accept the Atonement, which puts me in a position to realize that my errors never really occurred. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

To what degree do you feel you still carry somewhere within you the story of “the fall”? To what degree do you, at least unconsciously, feel fallen? How can the Course’s new story of the separation help you heal this?

Section 3, The Proper Use of Denial

Frequent Reminder:

I deny all error and extend only truth with you today.

Summary:

I am not at the mercy of my own errors or the errors of others. I thus do not have to engage in unhealthy denial—denial that conceals. I can instead employ true denial, which “denies the ability of anything which is not of God to affect you in any way” (T-2.III.1:8). I should not underestimate the power of this denial. It is a powerful defense of truth. Combined with true projection (extension), it will enable me to be a miracle worker. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

From your understanding of this section, what is the difference between denial of your errors as an act of concealment that keeps them intact vs. true denial as an act of bringing them into the light, which then dispels them? How much do you see yourself as using the former? How do you feel when you think about increasingly using the latter?

Section 4, The Reinterpretation of Defenses

Frequent Reminder:

I defend only the treasure of reality today.

Summary:

My perception of the world is produced by my use of defense mechanisms (denial, projection, dissociation, etc.). I typically use them to defend my errors against the truth. But I can use them for the opposite purpose: to defend the truth against error. This may seem difficult, but once I recognize that what I really treasure is truth, I will automatically use defense mechanisms to defend it. ©Robert Perry, Circle of Atonement

To Ponder:

What do you think about this chapter’s skill of actively defending your right mind while actively defending against error? Have you had experience using this kind of defense? How do you feel about the notion of actively guarding your right mind at all times?

Welcome to Week 4 of ACIM Book Club!

This is the final week of Chapter 1! I’m considering how to move forward with a study group for the remainder of the Text, possibly via Zoom. It will help me to know if you’re interested in a study group. Please reply to this email if interested. ;-)

We’ll go back to regular podcast episodes here on out. Thanks for reading through the Principles of Miracles with me!

All materials for the week ahead are embedded below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access ALL weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Week 4 Schedule

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Week 4, Extracurricular

Extra Reading:

Required for Day 19: The 50 Miracle Principles - Robert Perry

Next Step:

Course Cosmology Series - Exploring the Main Figures of A Course in Miracles

Day 16 - Miracle Principles 47 and 48 (skip paras 7-18)

Day 16 Frequent Reminder:

In this moment I recognize our perfect equality and worth.

Day 16 To Ponder:

How do you feel about giving miracle-working your “all”? How do you feel about the idea that, as a miracle worker, you can save others and yourself thousands of years, and that you have special talents that are needed for the salvation of the world?

Day 17 - Notes on Sex, Part 3

Miracle Principle 48 (paras 7-18)

Day 17 Frequent Reminder:

I deny the power of fear, and ask that it be replaced with love.

Day 17 To Ponder:

How easy is it to accept that you carry tension resulting from “a building up of unexpressed miracle impulses”? What, according to Jesus, is the only thing that will bring you true release from tension? How does it feel to think that underneath all your different needs, you have only one need: God?

Day 18 - Miracle Principles 49-50

Day 18 Frequent Reminder:

Let perfect love cast out all fear in me today.

Day 18 To Ponder:

In practice, how willing are you to submit your perceptions and emotions to the test of comparing them with “the higher level of creation”? Have you had moments of success in doing so? How do you feel hearing the message that “Midterm marks are not entered in the permanent record”?

Day 19 - Review Principles 1-50

The 50 Miracle Principles - Robert Perry

Day 19 Frequent Reminder:

The power to work miracles belongs to me.

Day 19 To Ponder:

Write down your aspirations in regard to the role of miracle worker. Would you like to be giving miracles on a daily basis? Would you like to be changing lives—or even saving people thousands of years—with your miracles? Would you like to be devoting your special talents to this role? Now, knowing the power of prayer, write down a heartfelt prayer to God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit, asking for help in making these aspirations come true.

Welcome to Week 3 of ACIM Book Club!

We use the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes. The Principles of Miracles (Chapter 1) is a free 4-week program. If you’re receiving this email, you can participate. (Please disregard if you don’t want to join.)

All materials for the week ahead are embedded below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access ALL weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Week 3 Schedule

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Week 3, Extracurricular

Extra Reading:

• Cameo Essays 9-10 (CE, Appendix 1)

• Required: Cameo Essay 11 - The Notes on Sex (CE Appendix 1)

Extra Listening:

The Sex Material - Circle of Atonement

Day 11 - Miracle Principle 42

Day 11 Frequent Reminder:

My holiness sees only the holiness in others.

Day 11 To Ponder:

Is there something in your mind that subtly looks down on those you try to help, that sees them as flawed and incomplete? Have you had times where you felt you were able to naturally behave according to the Golden Rule? If so, what was your perception of the other person in that moment that made this possible?

Day 12 - Miracle Principles 43 (para 1-4) 44 and 45

Day 12 Frequent Reminder:

I elect to be guided only by Christ today.

Day 12 To Ponder:

If you really believed that a “miraculous state of mind” is the source of miracles, and can even perform miracles directly, without any outward expression, what would you do to cultivate that miraculous state and keep yourself in it?

Day 13 - Miracle Principle 46

Day 13 Frequent Reminder:

If you tell me what to do, only that I will to do.

Day 13 To Ponder:

How does being told that Jesus is your equal (and that God is not) affect your beliefs, attitudes, and our feelings about either one?

Day 14 - Notes on Sex, Part 1

Miracle Principle 43 (para 5-12)

Day 14 Frequent Reminder:

Help me uproot all shallow roots in my mind today.

Day 14 To Ponder:

How does it make you feel to think that you have filled your subconscious mind with body-level identification to the degree that you are using sexual relating to replace miracle relating?

Day 15 - Notes on Sex, Part 2

Miracle Principles 18 (para 3-6) and 46 (para 3-8)

Day 15 Frequent Reminder:

Today I invite you to enter anywhere temptation arises.

Day 15 To Ponder:

How do you feel about the idea of inviting Jesus to enter to transform sexual impulses into miracle impulses? How do you feel about the goal of moving your basic mode of relating from seeing people as gendered bodies—as objects—to seeing them as minds possessing unlimited divine worth? Does this seem doable? Does it seem desirable?

Welcome to Week 2 of ACIM Book Club!

We use the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes. The Principles of Miracles (Chapter 1) is a free 4-week program. If you’re receiving this email, you can participate. (Please disregard if you don’t want to join.)

All materials for the week ahead are embedded below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access ALL weeks to date.

ACIM Book Club Links

Week 2 Schedule

33KB ∙ PDF file

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Week 2, Extracurricular

Extra Reading:

• Cameo Essays 7-10 (CE, Appendix 1)

Extra Listening:

• Levels of the Mind in A Course in Miracles - Circle of Atonement

Day 6 - Miracle Principles 26-28

Day 6 Frequent Reminder:

The power to work miracles belongs to me.

Day 6 To Ponder:

Have you ever considered that you may have an assigned role in a larger plan? How do you feel when you consider that now? How do you feel about the idea that Jesus is arranging opportunities for you to give miracles (“expressions of love”) to particular people who need them, and that you must be “ready and willing” to use these opportunities and give these miracles? Have you ever felt like such a thing happened to you?Miracles occur naturally as expressions of my love.

Day 7 - Miracle Principles 29-34

Day 7 Frequent Reminder:

My forgiven mind forgives in return.

Day 7 To Ponder:

Which of these principles strikes you the most and why? How do you feel about your potential to train your mind to see people as inherently holy and perfect?

Day 8 - Miracle Principle 35

Day 8 Frequent Reminder:

I allow all miracles to be under Christ-control.

Day 8 To Ponder:

Can you explain how projection differs from following the Golden Rule? Also, why is it important to ask Jesus before you perform a miracle? Have you ever burned yourself out, even a little, in your attempts to give miracles to others?

Day 9 - Miracle Principles 36-41

Day 9 Frequent Reminder:

I recognize the universal mark of God in me, and in everyone I see.

Day 9 To Ponder:

Which of the six miracle principles is most personally meaningful to you and why?

Day 10 - Review Principles 1-41

Day 10 Frequent Reminder:

Everyday should be devoted to miracles.

Day 10 To Ponder:

1. What are the main highlights for you of these first 41 miracle principles? What has affected you the most? What do you want to carry with you as you go on?

2. From these principles, what sense do you have of Jesus and the relationship he wants to have with you?

3. How does Jesus want you to spend your days? How would you feel if you did as he says?

Welcome to Week 1 of ACIM Book Club!

We use the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes for this reading program. The first chapter is a 4-week free program. If you are receiving this email, you can participate. (Please just disregard if you don’t want to join.)

All materials for the week ahead are below, but you can always go to the ACIM Book Club page to access ALL weeks to date.

Please review all Week 0 materials before starting this reading program. Link below.

ACIM Book Club Links

• Week 0 - ACIM Book Club Resources Page

• Main Page - ACIM Book Club

Reminders for Daily Practice

• Plan ahead to set aside extra time for reading, quiet time, and review.

• Every morning, write your “frequent reminder” onto sticky notes and place these where you’ll see them throughout the day. And/or set a timer to chime.

• Really think about the daily “To Ponder” questions, maybe even start a journal.

Week 1 Schedule

32.1KB ∙ PDF file

Download

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Week 1, Extracurricular

Extra Reading:

• Cameo Essays 2-6 (CE, Appendix 1)

Extra Listening:

A Course in Miracles and Homosexuality - Circle of Atonement Podcast

Day 1 - Miracle Principles 1-9

Day 1 Frequent Reminder:

Miracles occur naturally as expressions of my love.

Day 1 To Ponder:

How does this view of the miracle as an interpersonal expression of love affect you? What thoughts or feelings does it bring up in you?

Day 2 - Miracle Principles 10-15

Day 2 Frequent Reminder:

Help me to perform whatever miracles you want of me today.

Day 2 To Ponder:

Which of these principles most struck you and why?

Day 3 - Miracle Principles 16-19

Day 3 Frequent Reminder:

A miracle shines through the darkness and brings in the light.

Day 3 To Ponder:

Which of these four miracle principles is most personally meaningful to you and why? What is your reaction to the material on sex?

Day 4 - Miracle Principles 20-23

Day 4 Frequent Reminder:

I am wholly lovely, a perfect shaft of pure light.

Day 4 To Ponder:

Which of the four principles struck you the most and why? How do you feel knowing that your “darkness cannot hide,” and “there is nothing you want to hide, even if you could”? How do you feel being told by Jesus that “You are wholly lovely, a perfect shaft of pure light”?

Perfect Pure Light - Albin Marklund

You are wholly lovely, a perfect shaft of pure light. Before your loveliness the stars stand transfixed, and bow to the power of your will. What do children know of their creation except what their Creator tells them? You were created above the angels, because your role involves creation as well as protection. You who are in the image of the Father need bow only to Him, before Whom I kneel with you. [ACIM CE T-1.23.2:6-10]

Day 5 - Miracle Principles 24-25

Day 5 Frequent Reminder:

The miracles I offer undo my patterns of lack of love.

Day 5 To Ponder:

24: What effect does it have on you to redefine “sin” as being “love lack”? How easy or difficult is it for you to let go of your old learning in order to accept the new learning Jesus is offering you?

25: When you imagine inviting Jesus into the minutiae of your day so that he can speed you through it, thereby giving you more time to give miracles to others, how does that make you feel? Do you want to be freed up in this way or is it somehow vaguely threatening?

The first four weeks of this program are free! No need to sign up for now. If you’re receiving this email you’re welcome to participate and you’ll get your reading assignments each week. (Disregard the four upcoming Book Club emails if you are not interested.)

Everything you need to get started is in the video above and in the body of this post.

We’re using the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes.

Quick Links

• Main Page - ACIM Book Club

• Download the CE App or buy the book

Video Assignments for Week 0

Extracurricular Videos:

Meditation in A Course in Miracles - Circle of Atonement

Why We Published the CE - Circle of Atonement

CE Text Reading Assignments for Week 0

• CE Front Matter

• CE Appendix 2—This Edition

• A Course in Miracles Introduction

• Extra: CE Cameo Essay 1 — This is Not a Selfish Gift

Resources

Complete and Annotated Edition of ACIM (CE)

The CE is the required version of A Course in Miracles that we’re using.

Four Ways to Access the CE

• Free App – The ACIM CE App gives you the full Course (Text, Workbook, Manual, and more) plus highlighting, bookmarks, and search. Download for web, Chrome, iPhone/iPad and Android. Go to the ACIM CE App page or search your app store for “A Course in Miracles CE”.

• Printed Book – Available from the Circle of Atonement Bookstore and Amazon (US only)

• Audiobook – Professionally recorded and available on Audible

• eBook – Read on Kindle, available from Amazon

Mindfulness Bell

This is for your frequent reminders of the day’s practice statement. The one I use is called ‘Mindfulness Bell’ from the App Store, but there are other options for both iOs and Android.

Course Companions ACIM Community

Main site: CircleofA.org

Here you’ll find an extensive glossary of ACIM terms, ACIM-based podcasts, CE App and bookstore, articles, a loving community, and so much more!

It would be very intelligent of you to set yourself the goal of really studying for this course. There can be no doubt of the wisdom of this decision, for any student who wants to pass it.[ACIM CE T-4.VII.10:1-2]

Chapter 1 Text Reading Program | 4-Week Series

Coming Soon!

Join me this fall as we read through Chapter 1 of the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles, based on Helen Schucman’s original handwritten notes. The CE contains approximately 45,000 words that were not included in the original publication of the book.

This program is FREE to my subscribers for a limited time. More info to come! Stay tuned for start dates and all preparatory information. (Scroll to bottom for pre-program reading assignments.)

Join in “real-time” or on-demand

• Real-time students will receive an email each week for four weeks with the material for the upcoming study-week.

• On-demand students can access all materials via the ACIM Book Club page, or by clicking the tab at the top of the ForgiveNest Podcast homepage.

Your Weekly Reading Package Includes:

• Five audio/video commentaries per reading-week (4 weeks total)

• Reading schedule for the week ahead + extracurricular reading and helpful resources

• Q&A of commonly asked questions

• Daily practice statements to recite throughout the day

What You’ll Need:

You’ll need an email address to view the program content, willingness to learn, and a copy of the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles.

Four ways to access the CE

• Free App – The ACIM CE App gives you the full Course (Text, Workbook, Manual, and more) plus highlighting, bookmarks, and search. Download for web, Chrome, iPhone/iPad and Android. Go to the ACIM CE App page or search your app store for "A Course in Miracles CE".

• Printed Book – Available from the Circle of Atonement Bookstore and Amazon (US only)

• Audiobook – Professionally recorded and available on Audible

• eBook – Read on Kindle, available from Amazon

About the CE (Complete and Annotated Edition of ACIM)

Watch now: Circle of Atonement founder, Robert Perry, discusses why there was a need to publish the CE version of A Course in Miracles:

Why study with a guide?

A Course in Miracles can be truly life-changing—but it’s also deep and complex, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed or alone on the path. This program is designed to offer a space of true guidance, where you can explore each section with me and feel supported as you apply the teachings to your life.

Join the ACIM Book Club

Registration info coming soon!

If you’ve been wanting to explore A Course in Miracles in a steady, supportive way, or if you’re curious about the CE version of ACIM, I’d love to have you join me.

If you already know you want to jump in, grab your preferred copy of the CE and start reading these sections:

• CE Front Matter

  • What Is A Course in Miracles?

  • The Issue of Authorship

  • Introduction to the Complete and Annotated Edition

• CE Appendix 2: This Edition

• A Course in Miracles CE: Introduction

With blessings,
Alison Anton, ForgiveNest Podcast for A Course in Miracles