Exploring A Course in Miracles

Are you someone who grates at being told what to do? We're all like this to some degree and, if we have a problem with human authorities, how much more will we have a problem with God's authority! For by creating us, God essentially told us what we ARE, which is far more basic than telling us what to do. As an attempted solution, we often push God to the margins. And this makes a certain sense: no authority, no problem. But A Course in Miracles sees a more complete solution, one which lies in a whole other direction. Please join Robert and Emily as they explore this fascinating topic, which is more central to both the Course and to our lives than we have perhaps suspected. ______________________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

In this episode, Robert and Emily play the one recorded interview of Helen Schucman that we have. In this priceless archival recording, Helen is asked in detail about the process of hearing "the Voice" that dictated to her A Course in Miracles. And she answers with a clear attempt to describe exactly what she experienced, choosing her words carefully and making fine distinctions between what the Voice was and wasn't like. It's a real treat to hear Helen's own voice here. Her personality comes through as someone strong and self-possessed, yet also conscientious, objective, and self-reflective. For all these reasons, Emily and Robert pause the recording frequently to draw out what Helen has just said or has communicated between the lines, and at times to challenge her assertions. This is a rare opportunity and we hope you will join us for this dive into the origins of A Course in Miracles in the mind of its scribe.

Regardless of your political views, the fact that arguably the most well-known teacher of A Course in Miracles is running for president of the United States is big news. In this interview, Emily and Robert Perry talk with Marianne Williamson about the state of her presidential campaign, how her Course practice has helped her in the race, how she has faced marginalization and backlash, her response to the Course's original approval of the Four Freedoms from Franklin Roosevelt, and more. ______________________ spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spiritualpodcasts #spirituality ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

When God calls, what do you do? In this special episode, we shed light on this age-old question through the story of Emily's own journey. We follow her from corporate girl to entrepreneur teaching mindful leadership and women's leadership, to A Course in Miracles author, to executive director of one of the oldest Course organizations. As Robert interviews her, we see Emily's career riding the wave of the popularity of mindfulness until God suddenly seems to call her in a dramatic and persistent way. Learn what she did in response to that call and the difference her decision has made. And hear her and Robert discuss the takeaways this story has for the rest of us. For as A Course in Miracles says, "All are called, but few choose to listen." ____________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

All of us cope with grief and loss. We can't just try to sweep it under the rug. We need to face the reality of the loss. Or do we? A Course in Miracles has a very different approach to grief than the conventional one. It's not denial, but it does bring to bear a different view of what is real. If you have wondered how to deal with your own grief, join Robert and Emily for a wide-ranging conversation that covers stories of bereavement, the nature of death, near-death experiences, after-death communication, and more. Most importantly, the conversation is rooted in the Course's references to grief and loss, which contain a whole other way to look at this topic that so personally affects us all. ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

When you first pick up A Course in Miracles, you may think, "Oh, this book is supposed to teach me how to do miracles," and probably assume that means miracles of healing. Students and teachers quickly disabuse you of such notions, but what if your initial thoughts were right? The fact is that extending healing to others is a major focus in the pages of the Course. It is discussed in many sections in the Text and the Manual for Teachers and is the focus of a chapter in The Song of Prayer supplement. All this emphasis makes sense, given the great need that people have to receive healing and the deep need that many of us have to give it. In this podcast, Robert and Emily discuss the place of healing in the Course, the role of medicine, how exactly to give healing, the unhealed healer, and more. How the Healer Heals Diagram: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vii71x016ghr33wubbegg/How_the_Course-Based_Healer_Heals.pdf?rlkey=ri8p63dn19kpvlfdaophji799&dl=0 Walking the Path Diagram: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qm14qrjwi8pc9rsjyoxx1/Walking-the-Path-Diagram.png?rlkey=nxcpkq04uxljuahksa12anxvf&dl=0 _________________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

We have all been influenced by Jesus to some degree, and yet that influence hasn't always been benign. But what if history has gotten Jesus wrong? There has been a long tradition of scholarship investigating who the historical Jesus really was. Does it confirm what Christianity has said about him, or does it suggest that he was a very different figure than we learn about in church? Join Robert and Emily as they dive into historical Jesus scholarship (that is completely independent of A Course in Miracles) and share a new picture of Jesus, the wisdom teacher, versus the icon that has been made of him. ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

"Soul" has become a controversial word among students of A Course in Miracles. The word was there in the original dictation but was almost entirely edited out by the time the Course was published in 1976. Indeed, it was even mostly edited out in the Complete and Annotated Edition. What's going on here? In this podcast, Robert and Emily answer a variety of questions about the soul: What is it? Why are we so attached to the word? Why was "soul" largely edited out? Are there passages that speak of the concept but don't mention the word? Why does Jesus call it "controversial"? How important is it really? What is the big takeaway for our lives? Please join us for an informed tour through a concept that is little known in the Course but that most all of us feel a connection with. __________________________________ #spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spirituality We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

A fascinating figure crops up in the early dictation of A Course in Miracles: Mrs. Albert. In those early days, Course scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford were being schooled in how to be miracle workers. In the middle of that process, they were told, "Look carefully at Mrs. Albert. She is working miracles every day because she knows who she is." In this podcast, Robert and Emily do exactly that—they look carefully at Mrs. Albert. If she was working miracles every day, what can we learn from her? How can her example teach us to be miracle workers? Mrs. Albert is not well known in the Course community at large, but she is beloved by those students who know about her. She embodies a striking combination of inner security and outer fearlessness, one we all could learn from. _______________________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

We all have the dream of having the ideal spiritual day, but how do we have it? There is a beloved section in A Course in Miracles that gives us a step-by-step answer to this very question. The section is called "Rules for Decision," and it outlines what it calls "the rules which promise you a happy day." It tells you exactly what to do in the morning, throughout the day, and whenever you hit a snag. The resulting day is completely doable, and when you actually apply the process as outlined, it works. You have a qualitatively different kind of day. Robert and Emily have spent a great deal of time with this section, and in this podcast, they walk you through it. They discuss the practical steps that the section teaches and they discuss the experience of carrying those steps out, along with some fun real-life examples. Example: Ideal Spiritual Day Practice Card ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

Students of A Course in Miracles typically recognize that the Course's main teaching is forgiveness. Yet many often assume that this is about forgiving ourselves. Even if we forgive others, don't we need to forgive ourselves first? Robert and Emily talk about this question in this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles. Is the Course talking mainly about forgiving other people or forgiving ourselves? What is the relation between them? And which one comes first? If you want to learn more about what the Course teaches on forgiveness, don't miss this discussion. ______________________ #spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spirituality ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

Danielle LaPorte is a bestselling author, speaker, and creator of the Heart Centered Leaders Program. Danielle was chosen as a member of Oprah's Super Soul 100, and her podcast "Love, Danielle" is often one of iTunes' Top 10 for wellness. In this interview, Danielle and Emily talk about Danielle's latest book, How to Be Loving, and why Emily considers it a "brave" publication. They also discuss how Danielle's dark night of the soul led to a breakthrough in her message, how A Course in Miracles influenced her spiritual journey, forgiveness, sickness, karma, cancel culture, and more. We hope you will join us for this candid interview with one of contemporary spirituality's most popular teachers. ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. -Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

We all know the title. A Course in Miracles. That tells us this is an educational course designed to teach us to experience or give "miracles." What the Course means by miracles, then, is central since it's the key issue in determining what this course is all about. In our latest episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington Perry discuss the definition of a miracle, misperceptions of what a miracle is, and how to be miracle-workers in our every day. #spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spirituality ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

Part 2 of our podcast series "How to Seek and Discern Guidance" is full of practice questions including when to ask, how often to ask, our resistance to asking, how to ask, how to listen for the answer, and how to discern real guidance from your own thoughts. If you want to take guidance from "I know I should, but how?" to something you turn to for actual decisions throughout the day, you'll want to catch this episode with Robert and Emily. #spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spirituality ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. -Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ -Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

Asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit is a perennial source of questions and confusion for students of A Course in Miracles. In this podcast—the first of two parts—Robert and Emily will discuss why we ask, whom we ask, and what we ask about. They will track this topic as it shows up in all three volumes of the Course, along with The Song of Prayer supplement and the personal guidance to Helen and Bill. They will also share about their own experience and history with asking for guidance. If you have felt confused, confounded, or curious about the topic of guidance, you will want to make sure you catch this episode. ****************************** We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

There is a reason that a million voices are promising us greater physical health: We all want it and need it. What if the real road to health is something that we are not hearing from those million voices? A Course in Miracles has a teaching about health that runs through its pages, but it's not what conventional doctors and alternative health practitioners are telling us. What is this teaching? How, according to the Course, can we enjoy glowing health, where our body is so immune that "It needs no complicated structures of defense, no health-inducing medicine, no care, and no concern at all"? Please join Robert and Emily as they explore this important and controversial topic. ***************** We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

In part two of their 2-part series, Robert and Emily interview Tam Morgan, president of the Foundation for Inner Peace (FIP) and daughter of FIP cofounder Judith Skutch-Whitson. Tam's psychic gifts are what originally inspired her mother's interest in the paranormal, an interest that ultimately led Judy to publish the original edition of A Course in Miracles with scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford. Tam has led a fascinating and colorful life where, as a teenager, she was able to get to know Bill Thetford, Helen Schucman, and Ken Wapnick, and then become president of the Foundation her mother began. In this interview, Robert and Emily ask Tam more about her relationship with Course co-scribe Bill Thetford, more about the dynamics she observed between Helen, Bill, Ken, and Judy, and also what she sees for the future of the Course and for the Foundation for Inner Peace. We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

In this episode, Robert and Emily interview Tam Morgan, president of the Foundation for Inner Peace (FIP) and daughter of FIP cofounder Judith Skutch-Whitson. Tam's psychic gifts are what originally inspired her mother's interest in the paranormal, an interest that ultimately led Judy to publish the original edition of A Course in Miracles with scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford. Tam has led a fascinating and colorful life where, as a teenager, she was able to get to know Bill Thetford, Helen Schucman, and Ken Wapnick, and then become president of the Foundation her mother began. In this interview, which is part 1 of a 2-part series, Robert and Emily ask Tam about the psychic gifts that presented during her childhood as well as the dynamics she observed between Helen, Bill, Ken Wapnick, and Judy. This episode will be of interest to longtime Course students as well as new students who want to learn more about the history of this path from someone who witnessed it firsthand.

Does A Course in Miracles have anything to say about politics? Some say no—it's strictly about changing your own mind. Other say yes—it contains a vision for a new world based not on competition and materialism but on love and forgiveness. As a follow-up to the recent episode on Marianne Williamson's campaign for the US presidency, Emily and Robert share their views on the Course's relationship to politics. They explore at length four principles from the Course that could form the basis for a political vision and indeed for a new world. And they conclude by discussing a passage from the Course that describes a distant future in which material things are no longer valued, and instead, the whole world is united in perfecting forgiveness.

Marianne Williamson is running for president. The person who is probably most associated in the public mind with A Course in Miracles is running for the most powerful office in the world. What should we as Course students think and feel about that? Some believe the Course has nothing to do with politics. But what does the Course itself say? In this episode, Emily and Robert talk about Marianne's candidacy—what it means for the Course and what it might mean for the country. They talk about FDR's "Four Freedoms" and how they are an unexpected meeting place between Marianne's political vision and A Course in Miracles. Robert and Emily also talk about how we as Course students might welcome Marianne's candidacy even if we may not completely share her political outlook. Either way, A Course in Miracles has in some sense marched onto the national political stage. Join Robert and Emily as they navigate through the choppy waters of what this means for students of this path.

Blessing is a familiar concept in our culture. We say "bless you" when someone sneezes or offer a blessing before a meal. Blessing has also been part of religion and spirituality for millennia, where it is seen as transferring sacred power to another person. Interestingly, blessing is also an important topic in A Course in Miracles, where it is referred to nearly 300 times. These references are a goldmine of both teaching and practice about this important concept. In this episode, Robert and Emily Perry explore the concept of blessing it appears in A Course in Miracles. Robert and Emily discuss what we are blessing people with and where we are drawing that blessing from. And they also go through the four specific practices that the Course gives us for offering a blessing to others.

Spiritual bypassing is defined as using spiritual truth to sidestep the work of facing issues on a personal, interpersonal, or societal level. This is a topic that has been associated with A Course in Miracles due in part to the Course's core teaching of unconditional forgiveness as well as the teaching that, no matter what we do to each other here - including the worst of what human beings do to one another, we can never make ourselves guilty on the level of spirit. The arguments around the Course and spiritual bypassing can initially sound persuasive - and very serious Course students who have been confronted with these ideas have questioned the path or even abandoned it altogether. But for those who also care about making the world a more just and safe place for everyone and who want to keep the Course as our path - where does that leave us? How are we to think about all of this? In this podcast, Circle executive director Emily Bennington Perry answers these questions using a three-stage process in Course of partial innocence, partial wisdom, and true innocence. This bonus episode is taken from a sermon Emily delivered for our Course Companions Community and in it you will learn that what's really going to create the change that everyone wants to see is not our withdrawal or our anger but our love.

The "holy instant" is a lovely term in A Course in Miracles. Who wouldn't want to experience a holy instant? Yet unclarity abounds regarding this key aspect of the Course's path. Join Robert and Emily as they cover a wide range of topics regarding the holy instant, including: What is a holy instant? What are the benefits? How do you know if you are having one? What are examples of holy instants? What do we do to have them? What can go wrong in trying to have them? How do they relate to miracles? What is their importance in the Course? What is their connection with relationships? If you've ever wondered about how to make holy instants a part of your everyday, you won't want to miss this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles. The Circle of Atonement is a nonprofit sharing the wisdom of A Course in Miracles since 1993. Our mission is to help you achieve a deeper understanding of Course teachings and apply them in everyday life. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more at https://circleofa.org/

#spiritualawakening #spiritualpodcasts #spirituality #acourseinmiracles In this episode, Robert and Emily finish their tour through the ten traits of the spiritually advanced from the Manual for Teachers of A Course in Miracles. The final trait is open-mindedness, which the Course says is perhaps the last trait we acquire. That's because it involves truly opening our minds about who people are. Our judgments have quickly slapped labels on them, but now we leave room to let our inner Teacher reveal to us who they are. And that is how we at last forgive—forgiveness, you could say, being the eleventh trait, the pinnacle to which all this is leading. Robert and Emily also summarize the entire picture presented by the ten traits. What is the overall portrait that they paint? How would someone possessing these traits move through the world? What kind of person, in other words, are we ourselves aiming to become? We hope you enjoy this final episode our six week series. ———————————————————————- We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle's purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

We are nearing the end of our tour through the ten traits of the spiritually advanced. This week Robert and Emily talk about patience and faithfulness and, as usual, the Course has unique things to say about both. First, it says that the basis for genuine patience is trust. If we truly trust in the outcome, we can wait with no anxiety whatsoever. In addition, the concept of faithfulness here is not about being faithful to God or others, but about being faithful in applying the Course's principles to every problem and situation we face. This is so important that it is literally the measure of our spiritual advancement. Please join Robert and Emily as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

As we continue our tour through the 10 traits of the spiritually advanced from the Manual for Teachers of A Course in Miracles, our episode this week centers on defenselessness and generosity. How can we be defenseless in an attacking world? What does the Course say about the kind of generosity required of someone spiritually advanced? Join Robert and Emily for closer look at this very important Course teaching and how to apply it to our lives. The Circle of Atonement is a nonprofit sharing the wisdom of A Course in Miracles since 1993. Our mission is to help students achieve a deeper understanding of Course teachings and apply them in everyday life. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more at https://circleofa.org/

In this episode we cover the fourth and fifth characteristics of the spiritually advanced: gentleness and joy. However much we may admire gentleness, we worry that in a stubborn world it's simply too weak to get the job done. But could it be that we have underestimated what the Course calls the "limitless the strength of gentleness"? Gentleness is so strong, says the Course, that it can grant us joy. Not as a fleeting emotion, but as a constant state, so constant that it's one of our character traits. Please join Robert and Emily as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

This episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles covers honesty and tolerance, the second and third characteristics of the spiritually advanced in the Manual for Teachers. Perhaps we see these as beginner traits, far below the spiritual heights, but the Course grants them a much loftier significance. It speaks of an extreme form of honesty, which it calls "perfect honesty" and which we might call ultra-integrity. Likewise, it speaks of an extreme kind of tolerance, in which we are so tolerant that all things are equally acceptable and everyone is our brother. Please join Robert Perry and Emily Bennington as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

With this podcast we are embarking on a six-episode series, something we haven't done before. The series is on the remarkable section in the Course on "What Are the Characteristics of God's Teachers?" This section lays out ten character traits of the spiritual advanced. What kind of person are we aiming to become on the spiritual path? What kind of character will have as we near the end? That is what this series will attempt to answer. In this episode, we introduce the series and dive into the first characteristic: trust. The section repeatedly emphasizes that all the other traits rest on the foundation of trust. It is essential, therefore, to understand what this trust is. What exactly are we trusting? What does this trust look like? How do we develop it? What kind of life does it produce? Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington address these questions and more.

We often think of goals as being out of keeping with spiritual awakening. A Course in Miracles, however, believes in the importance of goals. It encourages the same kind of goal-directed behavior that an Olympic athlete might use, except that now we set and pursue spiritual goals, rather than material ones. The reason is simple: Reaching any sort of destination is a function of how much energy you consistently put in its direction. And that is what goals are about: deciding you want to get somewhere and putting consistent energy in that direction. If you are open to being more goal-directed in your pursuit of the ultimate goal, the goal of God, join Robert and Emily as they discuss four principles from A Course in Miracles for setting and pursuing spiritual goals, the only ones that truly matter in life.

This podcast episode features Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D., the first-prize winner of the Bigelow Institute contest for essays on the evidence for survival of physical death. He was the host of the long-running PBS series Thinking Allowed, and is currently the host of the YouTube series New Thinking Allowed. Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington talk with Jeffrey about evidence for life after death and for the spiritual nature of reality, and what this means for our lives and the future of humanity.

We hope you will join in for a conversation that is more personal than usual to learn practices that will benefit your own relationships. Holy relationships are a bit of a mystery. What makes them work? What throws them off track? In this podcast, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington will share what they are learning within their own holy relationship. In particular, they will describe what they call the "three legs of the stool," each of which is crucial to a relationship that is both holy and whole.

Wouldn't we all love to have our material needs effortlessly supplied by God? What does the Course say about this idea? In the second of our 2-part series on "Manifesting and A Course in Miracles," Robert and Emily discuss places in the Course that address trusting God with the physical journey of our lives which includes our finances, possessions, and circumstances.

One of the most influential spiritual teachings of our time is that our thoughts create our reality and that we can use our thoughts to manifest the things we desire. We do this by employing "the law of attraction." Does A Course in Miracles teach anything like this? Does the Course address it? And, apart from manifesting, does the Course ever say that through our use of spiritual means our material needs can be effortlessly met? Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington for a discussion on "Manifesting and A Course in Miracles."

We consider being well-adjusted to be the epitome of mental health. But what if we are adjusting to an insane world? Could we be like good cult members who learn to blend right in with the craziness around them? What is the origin of our obsession with adjustment? Listen as Robert and Emily discuss the true results of adjusting to insanity and what A Course in Miracles recommends as our way out.

In this bonus episode, Circle of Atonement executive director Emily Bennington shares how Jesus' original message changed our world and asks, "Are we willing to make our lives, even in their most ordinary details, a witness to our care for others? Can we truly reorient ourselves towards living his love ethic?"

Fear is an emotion that undermines all of us, draining our strength and ruining our peace. Thank goodness, then, A Course in Miracles contains extensive teaching on fear—on its cause and its solution. We tend to believe that fear is caused directly in us by outside events, and that the only way to dispel it is to master our fear and assert our power. But there's another way. The Course teaches that our fear is entirely caused from within, by how we choose to think. Listen to Circle of Atonement founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington in this podcast recording, and learn why the Course says complete freedom from fear is within our reach.

The Golden Rule (e.g. "do unto others as you would have them do unto you") is found in all the world's great religions. The language used may be different, but the wisdom behind it is the same. Accordingly, it's safe to say there is something about The Golden Rule that has commanded humanity's universal respect. But does it have a place in A Course in Miracles? Indeed, the Course does contain a whole teaching about the Golden Rule. Listen now to this conversation between Robert and Emily, to find out what it is and how to apply it to your life.

We see ourselves, quite naturally, as being on a physical journey in which we are constantly trying to control our external circumstances in order to erect a good life. But while we are engrossed in that project, we are simultaneously on another journey, a spiritual journey. In this podcast, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington discuss the relationship between these two journeys, as well as which is the real one of our lives.

There is no more basic and universal response to the Divine than prayer. Yet we all have questions about how to do it. Whom do we pray to? What do we pray for? How can we pray most effectively? These questions can be especially confusing for students of A Course in Miracles, who often wonder if we should pray at all. Yet there is no mystery about any of these questions in the Course itself. The Course contains extensive instruction on prayer, roughly 200 references to prayer, and over 150 actual prayers. Out of all this arises a groundbreaking and truly beautiful approach to prayer. It is this approach that Robert and Emily discuss in this episode.

Author's Note: "This is an edited version of a very long email I sent to the Circle board on January 30, 2002. I had recently discovered the guidance Helen received on December 31, 1975, in which Jesus spoke of the Course growing 'from infancy into a helper of the world.' This guidance electrified me because it so closely mirrored long-time guidance and thoughts of my own about the Course's purpose in the world. And since my guidance and thoughts were also about the Circle's role, I felt this guidance indirectly supported my sense about the Circle's part in the Course's destiny." We hope you enjoy this episode!

Millions of people are streaming out of the Christian church these days. Most of them are unaware that A Course in Miracles may be the perfect landing spot for them. The Course was intentionally written to those who were rooted in the Christian tradition yet also need healing from it. It brings to the foreground all that we loved about Jesus and Christianity, but that was buried beneath so much that was confusing, divisive, and hurtful. Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington as they open a dialogue on this very important topic.

A Course in Miracles says that Heaven is "merely an awareness of perfect oneness." Yet it also talks about God, Christ, Sons of God, our creations, the Holy Spirit, and angels all being within that oneness. So how do we resolve that? Are those names just different ways of talking about the oneness? Or are there distinct beings within the oneness? And if there are, is it still "perfect oneness"? If you want to learn more about the Course's teaching on oneness (including how it does and doesn't connect with nonduality), you will not want to miss this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles with Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington.

Many students ask us what A Course in Miracles has to say about plants and animals? If the world around us is an illusion, what does that mean for nature? Should we just ignore it? We usually assume that humans have great worth and intelligence, but we don't tend to grant that same assumption to plants and animals. In light of this, when the Course talks about animals, plants, and even grains of sand and waves on the ocean, it offers us a surprisingly different perspective. In this fascinating conversation, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington ask us to consider the concept of all living things being an honored part of the Sonship, and how this can help us heal a world that is in desperate need of healing.

Roger Walsh, professor of psychiatry and religious studies at University of California at Irvine, has been with the Course from nearly the beginning and has practiced the Course on a daily basis for decades. He brings a breadth of learning into how the Course relates to the world's great spiritual traditions as well as the unique contributions it offers. His interests focus on topics such as exceptional psychological health and wellbeing, practices to cultivate them such as meditation, yoga and lifestyle, virtues such as wisdom and altruism, transpersonal and integral studies. During this episode with Roger we discuss guidance, Bill Thetford stories, relationships, forgiveness, the Christian dimension of the Course, and much more.

This is a time in which good leaders are desperately needed, and our collective ideas about leadership are changing dramatically. In this heartfelt discussion, Emily Bennington and Robert Perry discuss what ACIM has to say about leadership, and asks how we can be the kind of leaders it is asking us to be - in our lives and in the world. They also invite us to question the influence we have over others, whether or not we consider ourselves to be "leaders" in a formal sense.

If you're a Course student, you've likely approached the Holy Spirit many more times than you have approached a conversation with God. "Ask the Holy Spirit." "Turn it over to the Holy Spirit." These are such common phrases in practice, but we still see a lot of confusion around who and what He (Holy Spirit) is. In this episode of Exploring A Course In Miracles, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington discuss the basic questions to help viewers gain a more complete understanding of the Holy Spirit. How did He come into being? What does He do in our lives? What is His relationship to God and Jesus? We hope you enjoy the episode and strengthen your relationship with both the Holy Spirit and the Course itself.

A Course in Miracles is a very practical path, but its practicality rests on some extremely unconventional views about the nature of reality. Is there evidence for those views? That is what we discuss with philosopher and writer Sharon Hewitt Rawlette. Sharon is a recent prize winner in the Bigelow Institute contest for essays on the evidence for life after death. In this conversation, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington ask Sharon about evidence for the existence of God, life after death, angels, whether there is a prearranged plan for our lives, and much more. Join us for an illuminating discussion on remarkable evidence for a different picture of reality.

Perhaps we remember our parents saying, "Wait till you get out into the real world!" We know that world, where life is a struggle because no one gives you a break. But according to A Course in Miracles, that's the illusion, and we can look past that illusion "into beauty that will enchant you, and will never cease to cause you wonderment at its perfection." That, says the Course, is the real world. What is it? How can we see it? Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington for a discussion on this important Course teaching.

"Shadow figures" is the term A Course in Miracles uses for the images we carry of people from our past who didn't give us the love we craved. These "ghosts" haunt our present. We project them onto individuals in the present, so that we relate to those present individuals as if they were the ghosts from the past. No wonder our relationships don't work! Join Circle Teachers Robert Perry and Emily Bennington as they discuss shadow figures, how they guide our search for love, as well as the cost of carrying this burden.