A Course in Miracles
DAILY LESSON & TEXT READINGS 
Course in Miracles Society, Original Edition 
Join Mailing List
CIMS
Home: JCIM.NET
LESSON 4 JANUARY 4 SUNDAY
Daily Quote
Workbook Introduction
Daily Lesson 4
Sarah's Reflections
TEXT Paused for Weekend
LOVE OFFERING  
In Support of Daily Lesson Mailing
[Tax-Deductible]

Love Offering  
 
ACIM
2015 Calendar
2015 ACIM Calendar  
 ACIM 'Quote'
2015 CALENDAR
ON SALE!

More Information


FINDING MY ACIM  

TELECONFERENCE
FAMILY  

 By Rhett Billings  

 

Graphic by � Deposit Photos JohanSwanepoel

 

SEE HOW LIFE WORKS
by Carol Howe

VIDEO #7
ACIM Video Series
Now Available 

Walk Into Fear

Use Coupon Code
CIMS10
At Checkout
for 10% OFF

SeeHowLifeWorks   
SHOP HERE and Support CIMS  
CIMS Referral Link  
LIMITED EDITION
Deluxe Gift Set
Deluxe Gift Set

 

TEXT
WORKBOOK
 and Manual

On Sale  

 

Distinctive Black Cloth Hardcover,
with Gold Embossed Lettering
Pocket Sized with Slip Cover

  

 Only 500 published

MORE INFORMATION
 
Giviing Voice to the Wisdom of the Ages


  
 
EarthCandle

If you need to receive the LESSON early
you can join the
EARLY LESSON MAILING
list.
Update your Profile here:




LARGE PRINT ACIM on sale now!

Large Print  

TEXT
WORKBOOK
 and Manual

 

17 PT  

40% larger 
MUSIC from mARTin 
EarthCandle

 

*KINDLE*

EDITION
Now Available
CIMS Kindle Edition
Now you can read The Course in Miracles ~ Original Edition on your KINDLE! 

 

This Kindle Edition contains the Text, Workbook and Manual.

 

 

Join Our Mailing List 
E-Book
Text
Workbook
Manual 
PDF Electronic Version
The electronic PDF
version of
A Course in Miracles
original edition
is now available.

 

 BUY NOW 

 

$9.95
A Course in Miracles-Original Edition
5 of 5 stars
   
REVIEW
  
A Course in Miracles is a self-study course.
 
In the beginning it tells us, "This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean
you can establish the curric...

goodreads.com
About CIMS
CIMS logo glow
Course in Miracles Society (CIMS) is an international group of Course students and teachers organized to discover, authenticate and propagate the Divine Teachings of A Course in Miracles.

 

As students, we seek to increase our knowledge of Jesus' words and to deepen our experience of His teachings.

As teachers, we work to circulate the message of
A Course in Miracles throughout the world by our words, by our deeds, and by the example of our lives.

COURSE IN MIRACLES
SOCIETY
Omaha, NE USA
800-771-5056
402-315-3607

cims@jcim.net
  

 

 

Find us on Facebook   Follow us on Twitter   
CIMS Blog on WordPress
Prayer_Love's Medium
Graphic by � Deposit Photos   
A COURSE IN MIRACLES
CH 1 "THE INTRODUCTION TO MIRACLES"
I. PRINCIPLES OF MIRACLES
 
    
11. Prayer is the medium of miracles. Prayer is the natural communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles love is expressed.     


A COURSE IN MIRACLES
WORKBOOK INTRODUCTION
Workbook Introduction  
<AUDIO><VIDEO> 
Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio
  

1 A theoretical foundation such as the text is necessary as a background to make these exercises meaningful. Yet it is the exercises which will make the goal possible. An untrained mind can accomplish nothing. It is the purpose of these exercises to train the mind to think along the lines which the course sets forth.

 

2 The exercises are very simple. They do not require more than a few minutes, and it does not matter where or when you do them. They need no preparation. They are numbered, running from 1 to 365. The training period is one year. Do not undertake more than one exercise a day.

 

3 The purpose of these exercises is to train the mind to a different perception of everything in the world. The workbook is divided into two sections, the first dealing with the undoing of what you see now and the second with the restoration of sight. It is recommended that each exercise be repeated several times a day, preferably in a different place each time and, if possible, in every situation in which you spend any long period of time. The purpose is to train the mind to generalize the lessons, so that you will understand that each of them is as applicable to one situation as it is to another.

 

4 Unless specified to the contrary, the exercise should be practiced with the eyes open, since the aim is to learn how to see. The only rule that should be followed throughout is to practice the exercises with great specificity. Each one applies to every situation in which you find yourself and to everything you see in it. Each day's exercises are planned around one central idea, the exercises themselves consisting of applying that idea to as many specifics as possible. Be sure that you do not decide that there are some things you see to which the idea for the day is inapplicable. The aim of the exercises will always be to increase the application of the idea to everything. This will not require effort. Only be sure that you make no exceptions in applying the idea.

 

5 Some of the ideas you will find hard to believe, and others will seem quite startling. It does not matter. You are merely asked to apply them to what you see. You are not asked to judge them, nor even to believe them. You are asked only to use them. It is their use which will give them meaning to you, and show you they are true. Remember only this-you need not believe them, you need not accept them, and you need not welcome them. Some of them you may actively resist. None of this will matter nor decrease their efficacy. But allow yourself to make no exceptions in applying the ideas the exercises contain. Whatever your reactions to the ideas may be, use them. Nothing more than this is required.

    

   ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM        

DAILY LESSON

Son ship Video 

 L e s s o n 4

These thoughts do not mean anything.
They are like the things I see in this room 

[on this street, from this window, in this place.]
 

<AUDIO><VIDEO>

Voice and Music by CIMS SonShip Radio   

1 Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. Then apply the idea to them. If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are "bad." You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called "good" or "bad." This is why they do not mean anything.

 

2 In selecting the subjects for the application of today's idea, the usual specificity is required. Do not be afraid to use "good" thoughts as well as "bad." None of them represents your real thoughts, which are being covered up by them. The "good" ones of which you are aware are but shadows of what lies beyond, and shadows make sight difficult. The "bad" ones are blocks to sight and make seeing impossible. You do not want either.

 

3 This is a major exercise and will be repeated from time to time in somewhat different form. The aim here is to train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful. It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you and the meaningful within. It is also the beginning of training your mind to recognize what is the same and what is different. In using your thoughts for application of the idea for today, identify each thought by the central figure or event it contains. For example:

 

4This thought about _____ does not mean anything. It is like the things I see in this room [or wherever you are].

 

5You can also use the idea for a particular thought which you recognize as harmful. This practice is useful, but is not a substitute for the more random procedures to be followed for the exercises. Do not, however, examine your mind for more than a minute or so. You are too inexperienced as yet to avoid a tendency to become pointlessly preoccupied. Further, since these exercises are the first of their kind, you may find the suspension of judgment in connection with thoughts particularly difficult. Do not repeat these exercises more than three or four times during the day. We will return to them later.   

 

    ~ Original Hand Script of ACIM

 

ACIM OE WORKBOOK. LESSON 4    

  

 Circle Of Atonement ~ COMMENTARY on LESSON 4

 

ALL CONFERENCE CALL RECORDINGS on SOUNDCLOUD
Hope you will click Heart to LIKE Us 

ACIM Edmonton - Sarah's Reflections 

ACIM Edmonton, CA

LESSON  4
These thoughts do not mean anything.
They are like the things I see in this room 
[on this street, from this window, in this place].
 
Sarah's Commentary:

It is initially challenging to watch the thoughts that are showing up in our minds. We are thinking all the time, but are not generally aware of the myriad of thoughts that play on the surface of our minds. The mind is very noisy, but we are not generally paying attention to what our thoughts are about. Our thoughts dictate our feelings and thus our feelings can be a good gateway to what we are believing, because our feelings come from the thoughts, beliefs and concepts that we hold.

When we say, "I can't help it, that is just the way I feel," we are assuming that we are victims of our circumstances and that the feelings have originated because of something outside of us. Thus, we feel that we are the effect of outside events and circumstances. No, the reality is that it is all about our decision as to the meaning that we choose to give events that are basically neutral. The inner and outer are the same. Thus, we are now moving ahead with this exercise by being shown that ultimately our thoughts have no meaning just like the forms that we see have no meaning. The only meaning that they have are the meaning that we give them. Our thoughts are not different from the forms that we perceive and give meaning to. "They are like the things I see in this room." (W.PI.4) It is not about good thoughts and bad thoughts. Whether we judge our thoughts as good or bad, they are simply not real. The only reality is oneness. Nothing outside of that is real, but our problem is that we give what is outside meaning. I say it is a problem because it serves the ego, which wants us to see value in the world and stay focused on what is outside of our own minds.
 
When we start to look at our thoughts and pay more attention to them, we can see how they are all over the place, rapidly changing from one thing to another. Noting the thoughts that are crossing our mind is not an easy exercise for us. We have not been trained to look at our thoughts. In looking at our thoughts today, we are asked not to "select only the thoughts you think are 'bad'. You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called 'good' or 'bad'. That is why they do not mean anything." (W.4.1.5-7) What we want to consider today is that they are neither good nor bad, but they simply don't mean anything. What we are trying to get to here is that underneath the thoughts we think we are thinking are our real thoughts, which we are not aware of. To become aware of our real thoughts, we need to look at our meaningless thoughts and see them for what they really are---nothing.
 
The point is that the thoughts we are thinking are not our real thoughts. Whether they are good or bad thoughts is irrelevant to what is a real thought. This begs the question of what are our real thoughts? They are a reflection of the truth. They are thoughts that spring forth from the eternal Self and are thoughts of joy, love and the oneness of our being. The truth of who we are is behind these meaningless thoughts we are thinking. Our thinking mind has covered over the truth, because the ego has us focused on the seeming reality of this world. As we apply these lessons, the thought system of the ego is being exposed.

This is just the start of our mind training, and you may find yourself judging and reacting to the exercises, but it does not matter. What is important in doing these exercises is not to require some kind of perfection of ourselves. It is not helpful to strain in doing them. To strain is to put the ego in charge of the undoing. Remember that all that is required is your willingness to look at your thoughts. Our part is to bring these thoughts to the light and the Holy Spirit will do the rest. Our part is not about undoing our egoic thought system, because the ego will not undo itself. The Holy Spirit in our right minds is the true strength and power in us that brings the correction. Thus our part is not difficult. We are not the ones to change ourselves. All we do is bring awareness to our thoughts and the desire to know ourselves. The Holy Spirit will do the rest.

It is not helpful to drive yourself crazy trying to catch all of your thoughts. Do the exercise only as long as you don't feel strain, and try to suspend your judgment about all of this. Recognize that in this process the ego may get threatened and resist this exercise. Why? Because it is at risk of being undone by the power of our right minds. Our true Self remains unified as the love that we already are. There is nothing we need to achieve. Our part is simply to bring our attention to our thoughts.

Jesus tells us that this is a major exercise that will be repeated in different form. "The aim here is to train you in the first steps toward the goal of separating the meaningless from the meaningful." (W.4.3.2) What thoughts do you cherish? We may cherish memories of good times, but we also cherish grievances, judgments, painful thoughts and thoughts of unworthiness. Obviously these are thoughts that hurt us, so why do we keep them? Because they have come to define who we think we are, and thus there is a pleasure we get even from thoughts we see as painful. Even the thoughts we think we like come with a hefty price tag, because they keep us rooted in the illusion and the illusion always brings suffering.
 
While these thoughts do seem to have power over us, Jesus still tells us to consider that they are meaningless. "It is a first attempt in the long-range purpose of learning to see the meaningless as outside you, and the meaningful within." (W.4.3.3) What is meaningless is outside because what is outside is not real. Another way to see this is that behind what we call our minds, with all their random thoughts, is the real or spiritual mind that is still, unwavering and all-encompassing. This is what is within, but it is blocked by the mind that differentiates and takes pleasure in its own thoughts. We are attached to our own uniqueness and special individual self, even if the experience of that self is full of pain and suffering. We are at the beginning steps of letting go of this self-identity by being the observer of it. It all starts with observing our thoughts.
 
This lesson is a first small step in realizing that we can start the process of looking at our thoughts and recognizing that we give them all the power that they seem to have. We can learn, through this process, that we can ultimately be released from the grip that they seem to have on our emotions and feelings and ultimately from the ego.

We learn early in the text reading that "The Holy Spirit and the ego are the only choices open to you. God created one, and so you cannot eradicate it. You made the other, and so you can. Only what God creates is irreversible and unchangeable. What you made can always be changed because, when you do not think like God, you are not really thinking at all. Delusional ideas are not real thoughts, although you can believe in them. But you are wrong. The function of thought comes from God and is in God. As part of His Thought, you cannot think apart from Him." (T.5.V.6.8-16)(ACIM OE.T.5.VII.67)
 
We are also learning to become aware of how we have defined ourselves by the thoughts that we hold and the payoff we are getting from holding onto these thoughts. The ultimate payoff, of course, is that we maintain our separate identities in which we are heavily invested.  

Jesus explains that there are only two emotions. One is love, which is our inheritance, and the other is fear, which we have made. As we learn to uncover our thoughts and be willing to give them over to the Holy Spirit, we make space for the love that we are to come through. Or another way of putting it is that when we uncover our ego thoughts, which are in our wrong minds, we make way for miracles. Regardless, the truth is that the love that we are never changes, in spite of our thoughts. No matter how shameful, ugly, demeaning our thoughts seem to be, they are meaningless, because the part of the mind that is thinking them is also meaningless.

In the practice instructions we are told, "Unlike the preceding ones, these exercises do not begin with the idea for the day. In these practice periods, begin with noting the thoughts that are crossing your mind for about a minute. Then apply the idea to them. If you are already aware of unhappy thoughts, use them as subjects for the idea. Do not, however, select only the thoughts you think are 'bad'. You will find, if you train yourself to look at your thoughts, that they represent such a mixture that, in a sense, none of them can be called 'good' or 'bad'. That is why they do not mean anything." (W.4.1.1-7) 

Then we are told, "This is a major exercise and will be repeated from time to time in somewhat different form." (W.4.3.1) From that we get the sense of its importance in our mind training. We are to learn to recognize that the meaningless is outside and the meaningful within. But, since there is nothing outside of our own minds, nothing in form is meaningful, including our own thoughts. Our thoughts are no different than other forms, like the things in the room, which don't mean anything. The only meaning is in content, not form.

Our thoughts have actually put us into a state of mindlessness. Thus, the ego has succeeded in blotting out of our awareness the content of God's Love. Now we see the world of form, and the content of love is buried beneath the forms (our thoughts). That is why it is important that we learn to look at them and learn that we now have a choice. In that choice, we can see that the source of our unhappiness and pain is not beyond our ability to heal.
 
Love and blessings, Sarah

huemmert@shaw.ca

 

Paused for Weekend

A Course in Miracles 


   

1 This is a course in miracles. It is a required course. Only the time you take it is voluntary. Free will does not mean that you can establish the curriculum. It means only that you may elect what you want to take at a given time.

2 The course does not aim at teaching the meaning of love, for that is beyond what can be taught. It does aim, however, at removing the blocks to the awareness of love's presence, which is your natural inheritance. The opposite of love is fear, but what is all-encompassing can have no opposite.

3 This course can therefore be summed up very simply in this way:

4 Nothing real can be threatened.
   Nothing unreal exists.

5 Herein lies the peace of God.

 

Chapter One

Introduction to Miracles

I. Principles of Miracles

1.1:1 There is no order of difficulty among miracles. One is not "harder" or "bigger" than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal.

2. 2 Miracles as such do not matter. The only thing that matters is their Source, Which is far beyond human evaluation.

3. 3 Miracles occur naturally as expressions of love. The real miracle is the love that inspires them. In this sense, everything that comes from love is a miracle.

4 4 All miracles mean life, and God is the Giver of life. His Voice will direct you very specifically. You will be told all you need to know.

5. 5 Miracles are habits and should be involuntary. They should not be under conscious control. Consciously selected miracles can be misguided.

6. 6 Miracles are natural. When they do not occur, something has gone wrong.

7. 7 Miracles are everyone's right, but purification is necessary first.

8. 8 Miracles are healing because they supply a lack in that they are performed by those who temporarily have more for those who temporarily have less.

9. 9 Miracles are a kind of exchange. Like all expressions of love, which are always miraculous in the true sense, the exchange reverses the physical laws. They bring more love both to the giver and the receiver.

10. 10 The use of miracles as spectacles to induce belief is wrong, or better, is a misunderstanding of their purpose. They are really used for and by believers.

11. 11 Prayer is the medium of miracles. Prayer is the natural communication of the created with the Creator. Through prayer love is received, and through miracles love is expressed.

12. 12 Miracles are thoughts. Thoughts can represent lower-order or higher-order reality. This is the basic distinction between intellectualizing and thinking. One makes the physical and the other creates the spiritual, and we believe in what we make or create.

13. 13 Miracles are both beginnings and endings. They thus alter the temporal order. They are always affirmations of rebirth which seem to go back but really go forward. They undo the past in the present and thus release the future.

14. 14 Miracles bear witness to truth. They are convincing because they arise from conviction. Without conviction they deteriorate into magic, which is mindless and therefore destructive, or rather the uncreative use of mind.

 

                                                  

 ACIM OE TX. CH 1, I 

 

ON LINE SEARCHABLE Original Edition

 2015 Schedule of Lessons & Text Readings   

 

2015 CONFERENCE CALLS  

 

ALL CONFERENCE CALL RECORDINGS on SOUNDCLOUD
Hope you will click Heart to LIKE Us 

Send us your Sounds

Course in Miracles Society

BOOK Offer

 

Several of you have asked about buying "A Course in Miracles - Original Edition" by the case to make it more affordable to your study group. 

  

CIMS is announcing that ACIM - Original Edition is now available by the case at the distributor price which is 40% below retail, plus shipping.  

 

Hard Copy book is reg $35. A case of 10 would have been $350. However, the price for a case is $210. [$21 per book, which is 40% off]  

 

Soft Cover book is $30 [although on sale at $25, when purchased individually.] A case of 12, at $30 per book, is $360. However, when a case is purchased, there is a 40% discount and the price is $216 [$18 per book]
This is a savings of $144!

 

Please call for more information or contact us at cims@jcim.net 

800-771-5056

 

 

 
Recording of Original EditionAudio Recording of
ORIGINAL EDITION!!

 

Kellie Love [considered the VOICE of ACIM] recorded the Original Edition.  

 

The Full set [8 cds, 68 hours] is available for $109.

 

Text only [4 cds, 38 hours] is
available for $64.95


Workbook only [3 cds, 20 hours] is
available for $43.95

 

Manual for Teachers only [1 cd, 8 hours] is
available for $14.95

 

LISTEN to a PREVIEW 

Order Here  

 


 
To GIVE and to RECEIVE are One in Truth. Lesson 108

  

Presently all CIMS projects are wholly supported by free will gifts of time, talent, and money. If you would like to support any of the activities of the Society in any way, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Because of the international character of CIMS, the internet is our primary means of communicating and collaborating.

  

CIMS is a section 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, and donations are tax deductible.
  

ALSO, by means of your will or other estate plan, you can name "Course in Miracles Society" as the beneficiary of a portion of your estate, or of particular assets in your estate.


In this way, you are honoring your loved ones while also providing critical support to the extension of LOVE.

 

Namaste and Thank You!

To make a tax-deductible donation in support of the Daily Lessons, just click the "DONATION" button below.


 


____________________________ 
COURSE IN MIRACLES SOCIETY
7602 Pacific Street, Suite 200
Omaha, NE 68114 USA
Voice: 800-771-5056
Fax: 402-391-0343