Just starting A Course in Miracles or an old timer you may have a need of a quick definition for what you have been studying. So, here it is in ten words:
A meditative discipline releasing guilt, fear and anger through forgiveness.
Another helpful hint: I also like to tell others when I mention studying A Course in Miracles and they look a little quizzical or even nervous:
This is a course to teach me how to heal relationships and find peace and those are what the miracles are.
Another helpful tool to help you in your studies or clear up confusion in a group is the "Nutshell Dictionary" - 83 misunderstood terms from A Course in Miracles". You can find it at the end of the "Instant Curriculum for A Course in Miracles" seen in the left column. Having quick understanding of some of the really controversial and confusing language used in the Course can be a, well, godsend. Here's a peak at the Nutshell Dictionary and what it can offer:
A
(Not
all letters in the alphabet are covered)
ALTER
That “point’ in mind where we do our devotions.
(The questions is: To what are we devoted, God or ego?)
ANGER
A form of projection of self-guilt intended to
re-direct God’s punishment onto another, and used unconsciously as emotional
“proof” of our innocence.
ATONEMENT
The process of correction which includes:
1-recognizing the problem 2-asking for help
3- listening to the Holy Spirit 4- accepting and then acting on the
Answer.
Also the principle of love and the end result
of the above process.
ATTACK
The idea of separation held in the mind which
then blocks full expression of love. Therefore, any unloving, non-peaceful
thought, including fear and guilt is an attack on yourself or another.
AUTHORITY PROBLEM
The
fundamental problem: The belief we can
have a will other than God’s Will, thus, placing God in the seeming position of
our enemy, fighting us for power.
B
BASIC LAW OF MIND (See the end of the Nutshell Dictionary)
BELIEF
A thought which we want and choose. This
thought can represent truth or non-truth and can be changed.
BODY
The illusion of form that represents
separation. Used by ego to reinforce its belief in guilt. Used by the Holy
spirit for communication. Ego teaches the body is “real”. The Holy Spirit
teaches that the body is unreal.
BROTHER
Since there is only One Son of God and we all
share this identity, we are, therefore, all brothers in the Sonship.
The use of the word brother and Son of God
becomes then, a continuing reminder of our equal divinity and has nothing to do
with body and gender.
BRIDGE
A transition point in mind between
dream/illusion and the return of the Knowledge of God.
C
CAUSE
-
Cause with
a capital “C” refers to God the Creator;
-
cause with
a lower case “c” refers to that which makes ego related thoughts.
CHARITY
Seeing your brother (and yourself) through
forgiving eyes when he is unable to do so for himself.
CHRIST
The One Son of God, created in Heaven,
unchanged and unaffected by our dreams. The collective Thoughts of Love from
the Mind of God. Our shared Identity as the Sonship.
CREATE
What God’s Mind thinks and is the One Thought
of Love -- A pure extension of sharing in the absolute abstraction of Heaven.
This does not occur in the dream/illusion.
CREATIONS
The loving thoughts the Son of God extends in
Heaven following the example of the Father/Creator/God, and thus shares and continues co-creation.
Note: Creations are not a part of the dream, but are reflected in forgiveness.
CONSCIOUSNESS
The
limited, distorted thinking process of mind directed by ego whereby awareness/perception/projection
occur. Also, this is where God placed the Guide to corrected thinking, called
the Holy Spirit.
CURRICULUM
All of life’s situations wherein we can choose to
learn either from ego or the Holy Spirit, each having diametrically opposed
goals and methods.
D
DEATH
Any emotional state in which there is neither
peace nor joy and, therefore represents separation from Life/God.
DREAM
The hallucinatory state in part of the mind of
the Son of God through which we are now focused. All perception and experiences in the world are dreams. When
seen from ego’s perspective they are nightmares. And when seen through the Holy
Spirit’s perspective, they become happy dreams.
E
EFFECT
The result of God’s thinking, which is His Creation,
thus spelled with a capital “E”. Or the result of ego thinking, which brings
pain and is spelled with a lower case “e”.
EGO
The mind when it thinks in a limited and thus
distorted fashion. From this comes a mistaken belief system that uses projection
to make, or miscreate, a seeming world. From this distorted thinking comes all
the world’s pain and fear of God.
Note: Ego is not to be fought against or
ignored, but instead turned over to the Holy Spirit Who will show you ego’s
perspective of the world as unreal and unnecessary.
EXTENSION
The process by which God creates and “sends
forth” His Thoughts of Love, creating Reality. Also, the process of “sending
forth” forgiving thoughts here in the illusion/world/dream.
F
FAITH
To assume something will work for you even
though you do not yet have “proof”. We can have faith in what will not work
(ego/anger/attack), or we can have faith in the Holy Spirit and His Answer of
forgiveness, which does work.
FATHER
Another word for the all inclusive and
encompassing God/Creator. This word does not suggest gender, and should not be
seen as duality, as in Father/Mother.
FEAR
The emotion which logically follows a belief in
sin and guilt bringing a belief in a
vengeful God to be feared and avoided at all
costs, i.e. fear of God.
FORGIVENESS
The shift in mind that occurs when you choose
to listen to the Holy Spirit. Forgiveness changes our perception of attack to
either a call for love or an extension of love, thus bringing peace of mind.
FREE WILL
Another term for God’s Will, freely given to us
and shared with His Son (all of us). Free Will is expressed in Heaven/Reality
and is only reflected in the illusion/dream/world through forgiveness. Free Will should NOT be mistaken for choice
which is an ego process. (In Reality there is no choice since there is only
God/Love and Creation/the Son).
(You can find the rest of the 83 definitions offered in the Nutshell Dictionary in "The Instant Curriculum for A Course in Miracles" shown on the left column)
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