A
”
miracle
”
is usually thought of as a physical event which surpasses all
known natural powers, something which is so unusual that no
explanation for it can be given. The Bible is full of such
miracles: Sarah’s giving birth to Isaac at her advanced age, the
Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea and the subsequent drowning of
the Egyptians, the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
A “miracle” is usually thought of as a physical event which surpasses all known natural powers, something which is so unusual that no explanation for it can be given. The Bible is full of such miracles: Sarah’s giving birth to Isaac at her advanced age, the Israelites’ crossing of the Red Sea and the subsequent drowning of the Egyptians, the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
We tend to think of miracles when someone lives through an automobile collision which should have been fatal or is cured from a disease when doctors said the case was hopeless.
With all this in mind, I became curious when I read about “A Course in Miracles” being offered at Gavilan Hills Church (13085 Monterey Highway, San Martin). This course is based on a book of the same title, one which defines a miracle as “a divine intervention in our minds which heals our thought patterns.” It reduces all of life’s problems (like war, disease, death, loneliness) to one problem:Â a conflict in our minds “between our freely chosen beliefs and our own best interests.”
This course teaches that “Truth is unalterable, eternal and unambiguous.” In opposition to this, people are caught in a world of perception and illusion, guided by ego. They can, however, make a conscious choice to listen to inner guidance at any moment, which shifts them from separation to oneness. So, the course teaches to control thinking, ask the Holy Spirit for guidance, avoid judgment, and focus on love, peace and joy. Forgiveness is the basis of all healing, whereas guilt and fear lead to sickness and death.
A group has been gathering weekly for almost 20 years at Gavilan Hills Church to take part in this course. Through reading the material in the textbook “A Course in Miracles” with fresh eyes and dynamic discussions, students go deeper into the material each time through. They apply the ideas that come up to the other books, classes, talks or video material they encounter. With daily affirmations and weekly sections of the book on which to focus, they explore spiritual essence in a physical world. During Sunday services at the church, they are inspired, but during this study group they inspire each other and throw out thoughts for exploration together. One participant said, “I revert to my old ways of thinking if I don’t nourish myself at the study group. It reminds me to ‘let go’ and allow life to flow easily.”
There are three parts to the book: The text is theoretical, the lessons in the workbook are practical affirmations, and the manual for teachers gives answers to some questions and clarifies some terms. Students spend a year on the material, but as the introduction states, “The Course makes no claim to finality. At the end, the reader is left in the hands of his or her own Internal Guidance, Who will direct all subsequent learning as He sees.” People can start in the study group at any time and will find the material useful, but there is some progression in the practices taught.
The latest session of “A Course in Miracles” began on June 6 and will continue from 11am to 12:30pm for a year. There is no charge to attend this course, and the textbook is available from the church’s book store. Call (408) 686-0335 or (408) 683-0648 for more information.
