In 1965, Helen Schucman, a psychology professor at Columbia University, served as a scribe for a voice she heard internally, who identified himself as Jesus. The messages she received, along with vivid spiritual dreams, troubled her. Like her predecessor, Dr. Sigmund Freud, she was an atheist Jew. Schucman was not only resistant to these instructions but also questioned her own sanity. After consulting with her close friend and colleague, William Thetford, she was reassured that she was not losing her mind and that she should simply take notes. Over the next seven years, he assisted her in transcribing the dictation.
In 1975, with help from another colleague, Kenneth Wapnick, a comprehensive three-volume book titled A Course in Miracles was published, consisting of a textbook, 365 daily lessons, and a teacher’s manual.
The course explains that every person has two opposing voices. The ego is the louder, more dominant voice that makes us feel anger, guilt, and justified in our wrong actions. These feelings of anger and guilt are defenses that hide the true, underlying issue: fear. The other voice is the Holy Spirit. It is the softer, gentler voice that speaks only with love. The ego’s aim is to create separation, while the Holy Spirit’s goal is to foster healing and unity. When we are upset, recognizing that we’re scared allows us to ask the Holy Spirit for help. The answers or feelings provided always help. We know we’ve made the right choice because we feel peaceful.
The goal of the course is to deepen our connection with the Holy Spirit so that we have loving solutions to any problem. Some lessons include meditations that help us strengthen our willingness to align with the Holy Spirit rather than the ego. Like any exercise, the more we practice, the more we improve. Once we learn to live from a place of love instead of fear, our lives change dramatically. We recognize that our bodies and minds can be treated with love or unlovingly, and, as a result, we will be happy and healthy depending on our choices. A good life results from choosing love over fear. The same applies to our relationships.
The course also suggests that relationships endure as long as there is learning. Once the maximum amount of learning has occurred, the relationship will end. In other words, as long as there’s growth, the relationship lives on. Ending doesn’t necessarily mean that people separate. Endings take many forms. There are those who remain loyal to dead relationships and live in resignation or misery. When two people grow together, they are advancing spiritually.
Since “every attack is a cry for love,” advanced students have learned to connect with their holy spirit and approach conflicts with love instead of defensiveness or retaliation. Expressing our conflicts with love rather than attack is like weeding a garden rather than stomping out the weeds.
We are also taught that we “see only the past.” This helps us understand that any reaction has a taproot in a prior traumatic experience. When we learn to sit with our reactions rather than acting them out, we can access past wounds, address them, and rid ourselves of old pain. Then, the ego can no longer use our unresolved pain as an unconscious puppet master pulling our emotional strings.
Another important lesson is “every encounter is a holy encounter.” In other words, the world is full of love and loving people. There are no chance encounters. They are all opportunities to share and receive love. The planet is a place to unify and co-create a loving consciousness for all, despite superficial differences. We are all children of the same creator, and we are here to love and be loved.
A Course in Miracles can be purchased on Amazon or numerous other websites via an internet search. The latest edition is recommended because it includes corrections and additions from the initial transcription. There are also numerous videos on YouTube.com. Additionally, study groups are available worldwide, either online or in person.
Having been a student and instructor for 38 years, I can attest to the power of this beautiful, miraculous way of life. I used to pray for miracles. Now I’ve learned that “every miracle is a change in perception.” Learning to listen to the soft and gentle voice of the Holy Spirit has brought a life of joy, abundance, and a willingness to be present. It’s empowering to sit as a peaceful observer as the world presents many opportunities to react. And when I do react, I quickly resign from the wrong voice and auto-correct to the voice of love. I no longer play God in my life or others, but I do use the power of God’s love to conduct my thinking and my choices. Given the choice, wouldn’t we all choose to be happy?
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Donna Marks is an educator, licensed psychotherapist, and addictions counselor in Palm Beach, Florida. She has worked with over 6,000 clients. Donna’s struggle with addiction brought her to a worldwide search for healing. She became licensed as a Mental Health Counselor in 1987. In 1989, she earned a Doctorate Degree in Adult Education, then became Certified in Addictions, Gestalt Therapy, Psychoanalysis, Hypnosis, and Sex Therapy. Donna developed an award-winning addiction training program at Palm Beach Community College. She co-owns an outpatient treatment program and serves as a consultant to treatment centers. For 36 years, she has taught A Course in Miracles.
Donna is the author of three books: the multi-award-winning title Exit the Maze: One Addiction, One Cause, One Cure, and Learn, Grow, Forgive: A Path to Spiritual Success, The Healing Moment: Seven Paths to Turn Messes into Miracles of Love, and her latest fiction, Fortis & Sapiente – A Tale of Two Lovers Who Successfully Navigate the Murky Waters of Love. Donna is a public speaker and has shared her methods with millions of listeners on podcasts and radio shows.
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