Lessons from A Course in Miracles
- Britta Van Dun
- Oct 8
- 10 min read
Updated: Oct 14
Right Thinking and Mind Training to restore the Spirit & Magic of Life
Over the years, I've picked up and set down the fabled tome "A Course in Miracles." Early aught heavy hitters like Marianne Williamson, Oprah Winfrey, Deepak Chopra all espoused and popularized the book, even though it was originally channeled by Dr. Helen Schucman from 1965 to 1972, and then first published by the Foundation for Inner Peace in 1976. While the book has alwasy been entirely compelling and promising, I was only able to read bits and pieces, flippin here and there over the years. It's old timey language & my own intellectual brain fog became too much of a challenge to break through and stick with it. Thankfully, more recent social media, workshops and podcasts have all made the Course easier to understand, process and integrate. While there's no substitute for reading the original book in it's entirety (1333 pages or 700 pages for the abridged version), especially if you are reading in small study group, I wanted to offer you a mini-micro Cliff Note-ish bare bones literary amuse bouche. Let the miracles begin!
There are 365 lessons in "A Course in Miracles." I wanted to titrate the most common themes, which are: 1) there are no idle thoughts; 2) we are spiritual beings, our soul never dies and 3) Choosing Love (aka acceptance and forgiveness) is the key to joy, connection and miracles. To start, every thought produces an outcome at some level. Meaning, we are not passive observers of life — our thinking creates our experience. Of course, this is taught in nearly all of the great Eastern and Western spiritual traditions, both ancient and modern. And, similar to those many traditions, the invitation here is to recognize that we are always creating our reality, and we can intentionally shape reality by becoming increasingly aware of our thoughts. The Course invites us to choose right thinking. Right thinking is choosing the voice of love (spirit) over the voice of fear (ego).
It's important to mention that feelings of fear often appear as an attempt to keep us "safe," yet their signal can alert us to the fact that we need to correct our perception. To correct our primal, mostly erroneous understanding of reality, the Course offers us a framework or Mind Training to restore our perception to one of Love and true safety. This is possible because our highest self (Spirit or Source) Knows that we are absolutely safe at all times and will continually guide us into alignment with "something greater." We have our work cut out for us since the ego always speaks first and loudest, while spirit - however omnipresent - is quiet and subtle. Our opportunity with a Course in Miracles is to restore our minds to Right Thinking.
Right thinking begins when we remember that this reality is imaginal — it's truly all an illusion born of Consciousness, mind, energy. With that premise in place, a deep recognition arises:
I am safe.
I will not die.
I do not need to be afraid of life, of failure, or of success.
I want to see how wonderful life can be.
I want to learn from challenges in order to become a kinder, wiser person.
There are more examples, but that's the basic gist. To continuously course correct into Right Thinking, we follow these four steps of Mind Training.
Four Mind Training Steps from A Course in Miracles
Step 1: Understand the Law of Cause and Effect
Thoughts are the cause; the world is not. Most people believe that events “out there” cause us to feel a certain way, but A Course in Miracles and quantum physics teach otherwise: our thoughts are always the cause, and every thought is rooted in the past. Even though the past is, well, history.
When I see that my misery and pain come from my thoughts, I reclaim the present moment and invoke the power to change my thoughts, which transforms the present and the future.
Self Reflection Exercise - Example: My default to “not see clearly” comes from past experiences of being judged or misunderstood, particularly in my family. My very existence often felt like a burden: it was painful to feel unwanted. Witnessing other peoples' harsh thoughts and projections was scary, so I learned to hide from seeing the shadow parts in others and myself.
What are your default thoughts? when did they start? What other thoughts are possible today?
Step 2: Identify and Own Projections
We are born pure and innocent. Then comes the conditioning of family, school, work, spiritual communities, and culture(s). From an early age, we learn what conjures approval and love, and what does not. To survive, we disown parts of ourselves that are not praised (and often punished) and push them into the shadow.
We then project these unwanted parts or shadow aspects onto others, so it seems like all the negativity and "bad" stuff is coming "at us" rather than from or through us. A Course in Miracles teaches that there is no separation — our Spirit is one. Projection creates perception. We never really see anything “out there”; we only see our thoughts reflected back.
Self Reflection Exercise - Example: I have not fully owned my psychic abilities and have disowned my shame, judgment, and sense of “not enough-ness.” When so-and-so mirrored shame, I resisted seeing it because I didn’t want to face my own shame and insecurities. When another so-and-so showed me strength and firm boundaries, I judged them because I didn't get what I (my ego) wanted in that moment and because I am often uncomfortable stating and maintaining strong boundaries. The self-mirroring offered by So-and-So 1 and 2, give me opportunities to reclaim what I have disowned. Even though acknowledging the hidden aspects of my persona is uncomfortable, when I see & correct my own illusions and false thinking, I can shed the false beliefs, rewire the brain and invite in a wisdom and Love that is so much greater than anything I can ideate.
What are your shadow aspects, the parts that you want no one to see, but that you easily see in others? How might you approach your shadows walking forward?
Step 3: Clarify What You Say with What You Truly Want
We choose what we want every moment, but what we say we want and what we really want are often different. And what we "want" is very often, what is familiar, what we are programmed for and habituated to. This is important.
Self Reflection Exercise - Example:
What do I say that I want? I want to be a deeply compassionate and skillful teacher, successful intuitive healer and holistic coach who travels the world and lives a life of abundance.
What do I want beyond those (ego) outside goals? I want to be at ease and free, living in alignment with Spirit’s will for me. I want to rest in the unknown and allow my life to unfold in ways not of my own making. I want the radiance and goodness of the Universe to bloom through me/us into all areas of Life. "May All beings be free, without one single exception."
And now, drumroll, What does my subconscious (fear) want? That I play it small and remain scared of life and the world.
All told, I want to feel safe in the messiness of Life. I want to feel resourced and connected. I want clarity and courage to share when it’s right. I also want to be a clear friend and teacher who is steady no matter how others respond.
The way that I can do this is by recognizing that all my dreams and wishes will come true, when I (the ego/fear) step out of the driver's seat and recognize what we learned in Lesson 1, which is that a Higher Self (Spirit) is always already omnipresent, eternal, available, and loving and that I am a beloved child of the Universe always already, I can let Spirit guide the way at every turn. I am reminded of these truths every time that I discover that I am hitting a wall or forcing energy. In those moments, I take a few breaths and remember the truth of who I am and All that Is and I ask Spirit to take the wheel.
An Example:
I'm writing a blog post about A Course in Miracles. The words and ideas are humming along until they aren't. Then I feel stuck or like I've hit a wall re: a specific idea or sentence. I can grapple with it and try different angles in my mind, get frustrated and feel stuck. Or, I can acknowledge that I've hit a wall, take a few deep breaths and invite Spirit to take over. That might mean I take a few minutes of meditation/quiet until an idea comes, or maybe I step outside and commune with nature. Maybe I step away from the screen to stretch, drink some water, do something else for a while, or maybe I just start working on another idea and paragraph. I can give my musings back to the muses, and I trust that, when the time is right, the ideas will flow again.
Step 4: Restore the Mind to Right Thinking
As highlighted earlier, we humans have two primary cognitive programs: one echoes the voice of fear/ego and one illumines the voice of love/spirit. Fearful, judgmental, and negative thoughts are signs that we are in ego - when we notice our thoughts are of a fearful nature, it is a cue to course correct. Observe negative thinking - and then bing - course correct to see through the eyes of love rather than fear. The idea is simple. It takes practice. The more you practice, the better you'll get. Soon you'll be dropping negative/fear-based thinking and experience yourself, others and the world more clearly - through Love.
Prayer:“Above all, please let me see this differently, let me see this through the eyes of Love/Spirit."
When I remember this simple prayer, I step out of victimhood and reclaim my power as a spiritual being. Every situation becomes an opportunity to become stronger, clearer, and more loving.
Example Affirmations and Inquiries:
There is Power in Surrender
What can I let go of, where can I soften?
Where am I stuck, how can I flow?
What shadows (and light) is that person reflecting?
I release shame, fear, and judgment right now.
I walk forward in Truth, Love and Light.
The Miracles
You might be wondering, in the context of "A Course in Miracles," what's constitutes a miracle?
There are all kinds of "woa!" and "no way" accounts in the book and in ACIM forums, and, a miracle can be defined as a shift in perception - any time you see clearly through the eyes of love and surrender to Spirit rather than contract in fear, thinking with ego. Miracles occur when we accept the Truth (of who we truly are - Spirit) and let that clarity and faith guide our thoughts and actions.
Example: There's someone with whom you have a push-pull, uncomfortable (fear-based) dynamic. When you think of that person, you experience judgment of them and/or yourself. With the miracle of Right Thinking, when you encounter them the next time, instead of perceiving threat, you see the truth: that they are the exact same as you - they, like you, are scared. Scared that they are not enough, unlovable, unlikeable, disconnected, wrong, bad, etc. Afraid that they are alone, separate from Source, and are merely a mortal body that will die. Woof.
In that moment, you have the opportunity to see that underneath the ego/fear they are Spirit, just like you. And so, you have the power to respond with love and the conviction that their (and your) worst fear is not true. We are not simply mortal bodies: We are Spirit. We are and always will be safe and loved in the light of the Universal Consciousness. Knowing this, you will genuinely want the highest and best for the both of you. We are one.
True Story: When my coach first suggested that I pray for the people I felt harmed by or who I held resentments towards, I balked. O hell to the no. Interestingly, when a Buddhist teacher taught the meditation Metta - to love all beings, including our enemies, I had no problem sending love to all corners and people on earth. I had a problem engaging Metta, when I actively had a problem.
I returned time and time again to my coach, expressing pain about one interaction or misunderstanding after another. Repeatedly, gently, she would suggest that I pray for the other person's wellbeing and peace. She recommended that I wish for them everything that I wanted for myself. For a long time, I tightened at this suggestion, contracting further into resistance and pain. "It's not fair that they get what I want - they harmed me" "Why should they get what I don't have?" And so on : ) . One day, memories of a former partner arose. My first impulse was to take an inventory of how they'd harmed me, and how wrong or unkind "they" were. And then. Miracle of miracles, I spontaneously began praying for their wellbeing. Woa! It felt so much better basking in the light of love that I felt for that person. It felt so nice wishing them only good things. Instead of feeling funky, my mood brightened and I felt full of joy. Miracle.
Key Takeaways
A Course in Miracles teaches us that we get what we truly want, not necessarily what we ask for. Thinking and being are different. Asking for help is often more powerful than rushing into action. Feelings of fear and negativity are indicators, guiding us to course-correct.
It is easier to believe the negative because it’s louder. Following Spirit takes courage and practice, but it rewires the brain and absolutely opens our Lives up to synchronicity, joy and miracles. This is not just “positive thinking” — it is training the mind to align with Spirit: Truth and Love.
We are here, in the illusion, to grow and evolve. I chose this path, and I can choose again. Even when I feel afraid of being seen, of making mistakes, or of fulfilling my potential, I can remember:
I AM here to Love.
If you are curious about A Course in Miracles or any of the Lessons outlined above, or you would like healing support in any way, please don't hesitate to reach out. I’m here for you in-person in Tucson AZ offering intuitive and holistic care through acupuncture, Chinese Medicine (TCM), hands-on energy healing, and craniosacral therapy. I specialize in multi-dimensional, transformational healing. Virtually, I’m available online via Zoom, FaceTime and phone for intuitive life coach and distance energy healing sessions.
Xx
Britta
Licensed Acupuncturist, Intuitive, Healer, Coach, Energy Medicine Practitioner
📞 917-519-2432
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