The Sparkle Edition of A Course in Miracles
This edition contains more words than the Foundation for Inner Peace version. It also reinstates many words that were removed when the UR text was edited for the Hugh Lynn Cayce (HLC) version. The Sparkle Edition is based on Course scribe Helen Schucman’s shorthand notes.
It is a great companion for the Workbook and Manual. It is a smaller book that can be carried with you everywhere. It is a spiritual text
In its present form, ACIM is one of the world's most widely-used spiritual texts. It has been translated into 27 languages and has sold over 2 million copies. Originally, it was a psychotherapy text combining psychology and spirituality. Helen Schucman, the author of ACIM, was a psychology professor who received the Course from an inner voice that she identified as Jesus. Although many traditional Christians at first find the teachings of ACIM startling, they can be understood and embraced with an open mind.
The “scribing” of ACIM occurred in several stages and was completed in 1972. The most significant of these is the HLC (Hugh Lynn Cayce Version). The HLC contains more material, less missing material, and fewer errors than the later editions of ACIM. In addition, it has chapter and section divisions which are extremely useful to the student.
Unlike the later versions of ACIM, this one contains the full text of the HLC and is completely machine-readable. This makes it easy to locate passages and make comparisons. It also includes a Concordance which greatly facilitates the study of ACIM.
This edition is not meant to replace any other version of ACIM. It is simply the first step in the process of restoring the purity and integrity of the original dictation. This is a monumental task, and can only be
accomplished through the thorough proofing of each editing change at every stage. It is only then that we can determine which are mistakes and which are corrections.It is difficult to know exactly how much material was lost or changed in the transcribed text at each stage of editing and transcribing. The original typescript or Urtext of ACIM was about a thousand pages and was organized into 31 chapters with many sections. The editors of the current edition of ACIM, William Thetford and Kenneth Wapnick, chose to organize this into 31 chapters with a few paragraphs in each chapter. These divisions are not necessarily real transition points in the text and appear to be largely arbitrary.
For those who are not interested in a spiritual philosophy that embraces duality, ACIM can be problematic. For example, the ACIM posits that the normal human situation is a mistake, or an evil dream whose main cause is the big bogeyman ego. This stance seems to stray far from the exalting notion of life as a Divine Play in which all souls participate-a view shared by the best mystics of Christianity and other traditions. It is a self-help book
When you ask for a show of hands at any self-help gathering, 95 percent of the people will happily admit to owning the dense blue book known as A Course in Miracles. But when you ask how many of them have actually read it, only a handful will raise their hands. It’s almost as if everyone wants the miracles, forgiveness and mind shifts, but they can’t bear the heaviness of the text.
The answer to this question lies in the purpose of the course. ACIM teaches us that we are mistaken about who we are, but once the error is corrected, direct access to our inner knowledge will be unimpeded. This is the reason for a newer course that is not a sequel to ACIM, but that addresses how we live in the world of form once our egos have been dislodged.
Known as the Original Edition, it is the text of the Course as it was completed by Schucman and Thetford in 1972, before significant edits were made. It was first published by the Course in Miracles Society, a non-profit organization, in 2000. The original print run was 500 copies and included the first copies given to Marianne Williamson, Doreen Virtue and Rev Sky St John. CIMS was forced to discontinue production in 2003 after receiving a temporary restraining order from a judge due to copyright infringement.
This version of the book is smaller and thinner than the workbook/manual, making it easy to carry with you anywhere. Unlike the more expensive hardbound edition, the pocket edition is designed to endure rough treatment. It is 8” x 5” and less than 1” thick, and will fit into a briefcase or lady’s purse. It is a teaching manual
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is a spiritual writing that is presented as a self-study curriculum of forgiveness. It is not a religion, though it uses Christian terminology and an underlying ontology that echoes the world’s most hallowed traditions. Its purpose is to help you experience a unified vision of God’s Love and forgiveness. It is structured as a course with three books: the Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers. The unabridged Text volume, referred to as the “Original Edition,” contains A Course in Miracles as it was completed by Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford in 1972, before substantial editing. This book also includes two supplements, “Psychotherapy: Purpose, Process and Practice” and the “Song of Prayer.”
The premise of the Manual is that you have made a choice to step away from the world’s curriculum and become a teacher of another way of being. However, it is difficult to distinguish between someone who has simply decided not to follow the course’s teachings and those who have truly chosen to teach them. The answer, according to the Manual, lies in whether you have a witness for your decisions.
To identify a teacher of another way, you will need to know what the teacher’s purposes are and how he or she is going to help you. A good ACIM teacher will be able to demonstrate this for you in the form of their own personal experience and their own witness. There are many such teachers in the world today, but you may want to find one who is not affiliated with any particular organization or institution.
The defining feature of the Manual for Teachers is that it answers questions that have arisen during your study of the text and workbook. Its question and answer format invites the student into a conversation with the author. This dialogue is based on the belief that the truth cannot be hidden from those who choose to look for it. The questions are not intended to be exhaustive, but they do provide you with some answers that will assist your further studies. It is a workbook
Many people who are familiar with ACIM may not know that there is more than one version of the text. The 'Original Edition' is the version of the Course that was completed by Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford in 1972, before significant editing took place. The Original Edition is published by the Course in Miracles Society, and contains the Text volume of the course. This is the edition that is used by most students and teachers around the world. It is designed to be portable and can be carried in a backpack or briefcase. It also includes the Workbook Lessons.