The Psychology of A Course In Miracles
The beauty of A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is that it’s a PSYCHO-spiritual teaching. It is as much radically life-changing psychology as it is spiritual path. It wakes you up to the truth of your own mind, your innermost world of thoughts, beliefs, feelings and desires. You see that this mind is a construction of your ego, your false self. What ACIM has to say about the ego is not pretty, but its assertions are universally applicable to all of us whether we are consciously seeking a spiritual path or not.
The psychology of ACIM cannot be separated from its spiritual message but even if you are not persuaded about the existence of God or the presence of Oneness, you can transform your life by applying its teachings.
If you don’t like the term ‘God’ substitute it for Love; they are both the same.
As you will see over the course of these articles, ACIM’s psychology is radically different. By radical, I mean it takes conventional thinking and turns it on its head. You will come to appreciate this as you work with the Course’s guidance. It will confront every one of your precious pre-conceived notions. You will be presented with the reasons why the world’s thinking is upside down and backwards. And if you practice its teachings, doing the opposite of what convention would advise, you will see your life blossom and unfold.
The psychology of Jesus is another way to describe ACIM since his was the voice that was heard in the transcribing of the Course. He tells us that there are only two fundamental emotions: Love and fear. We suffer because we have allowed ourselves to be hijacked by our tiny little ego mind. We identify as this false self whose job it is to blind us to the Light.
The only way to return to Love is to expose this ego mind, and this the Course does brilliantly. It deconstructs the ego with a clarity offered by no other psychology. It guides you to self-awareness so very gently yet powerfully. Gently in that we treat ourselves as the innocent child of Love that we are as we become more self-aware, and powerfully because we unwind the mind that caused so much sin, guilt and fear in the first place.
Jesus’s methodology rests on forgiveness. Through practicing forgiveness we come to heal our mind and switch our centre of identity from fear to Love.
This series of articles highlights the main elements of the psychology of ACIM. If you are serious about personal development, you will learn to coach yourself in these principles. Your most important relationship is the one you have with your self, and what you take that to be. ACIM teaches you everything you need to know about this relationship and how to transform it.
All it takes is a little willingness to open up and experiment with what is recommended. If you’re ready for Love, read more of my posts!
