A Course in Miracles is a well-known spiritual classic that has changed the lives of thousands of people around the world. What many students and teachers do not realize is that there are more than one version of the book - and it's important to know which edition you are using.
The premise
The first edition of A Course in Miracles by Helen Schucman is a landmark in the annals of spirituality. The saga of this illuminating volume started in the late 1960s and took over a decade to complete. Aside from the usual suspects, a few notable exceptions were made along the way. Despite being the subject of a good many conniptions, ACM was a resounding success and remains so to this day. As a result, ACM is the subject of numerous academic research and many anecdotes. The aforementioned volume has earned a well deserved place as an unofficial standard of measure for the ACM community. In the ensuing years, it has been home to an estimable number of students and instructors.
The teachings
The first edition was written over 7 years and dictated to Dr Helen Schucman by an inner voice. She sat in a trance state and wrote down the words that she heard. Her supervisor, William Thetford, typed up her shorthand notes and arranged them into a coherent manuscript.
The Course is a spiritual teaching that offers a new way of looking at our reality and how to work with it. It is not a Christian religion and does not teach that Jesus is the Son of God, but it is based on principles of forgiveness and healing.
Those who are unfamiliar with the original Course may be confused by its pronouncements and terminology, but it can be learned and understood. A willingness to open one's mind and be willing to accept the teaching is essential to a successful reading of the Course.
Many of the teachings in the first edition are a bit different from those found in later versions. Some are more in-depth and the language is a little bit more sophisticated, but all of them still contain basic spiritual principles that are essential to the Course's message.
There are also a number of archaic terms and ideas in the text that have since been removed. Some of this is due to Helen's tinkering with the text, but it does make the course easier to read and understand.
Another important difference between the first edition and later versions is that the first edition is in the form of a text, while the latter is in the form of a series of lectures. This makes the Course easier to read and understand, but does not change the nature of the teachings that are contained within it.
The Course focuses on healing, forgiveness, and the power of prayer. It teaches that there is only one reality, and that we must work with it to bring about transformation and healing. It is a message of hope that has been transforming lives worldwide for over 60 years. It is a teaching that is not incompatible with any other religious faith or belief system and is open to anyone who is willing to learn its powerful messages.
The first edition
The first edition of a course in miracles is a must have for anyone interested in the teachings of author Helen Schucman. It also happens to be one of the most popular spiritual texts of all time. The original edition consists of 2 books: a text and an accompanying workbook/manual. The workbook/manual is a staple of many a practitioner's library and can be referred to as the bible of the mind. In short, it is one of the best books you will ever read. The text is a tad more lightweight and less dense than the workbook but still offers a solid reading experience. The text was designed to withstand a little rough treatment in an effort to ensure its longevity in the hands of a true devotee. The title page of the text has a plethora of enticing photos and memorabilia to boot. It's a must have for all lovers of literature, history and art!
The second edition
The Course in Miracles is a modern teaching that has become the path to God for thousands of people worldwide. It is based on a simple and profound principle that, if applied, can bring about a profound change in one’s life.
This change comes through the understanding of an important spiritual principle: God’s love and forgiveness are unconditioned. This is the basis for any true and lasting spiritual practice, including healing and transformation.
Although the Course in Miracles was written in 1972, it was not published until 1976 by a non-profit organization called the Foundation for Inner Peace. During this time, significant editing was done to the text. This was done by Kenneth Wapnick and Helen Schucman.
During this period, a substantial amount of the early material was removed and replaced with more psychologically relevant material. This was in an attempt to help Helen and Bill bridge the gap between the philosophy of the Course and the psychology that they knew and were using.
In addition, there were changes in capitalization, punctuation and paragraphing. These were done to make the text more readable, consistent with the way the Course was being published.
Unfortunately, many mistakes were made. The process of retyping was difficult and time-consuming. In the end, the entire text was retyped several times. This resulted in many grammatical errors and typos.
This is a common problem with hand-written material that is subjected to the rigors of retyping. It is impossible to catch all the mistakes in a single retype.
While the retyping of the text was difficult, it was necessary to do it in order to preserve the integrity of the work. In fact, if this were not done, the course could be destroyed and all of the lessons would be lost forever.
As a result, a new edition of the text was created. This version is now known as the Criswell edition. It is available for sale online and in bookstores throughout the world.
This is the first edition of A Course in Miracles, the first three volumes that were dictated by Helen Schucman and co-scribe Bill Thetford. This version of the text is also referred to as the "Urtext" because it is the transcription of their handwritten notes.
Comments
Post a Comment