A Course in Miracles, Workbook ~ the beginning “cliff-notes.” 20 January 2025

Introduction

1. A theoretical foundation such as the text provides is necessary as a framework to make the exercises in this workbook meaningful.

* We got the Text in response to Dr. William Thetford’s exclamation, “There has to be a better way,” combined with Helen’s quest to find God.

* The Text gives us a reason for doing the Workbook. A goal. Hint: the “miracle” IS SEEING God, the One Original and Universal Father has not abandoned the Son.

* The Urtext (the preliminary draft of the Text) contains an insert for page 61 that discusses The Fall, known in the Course as The Separation where Jesus explains a lot of the Garden of Eden story in the Bible as an important step to understanding why you would take the Course and how not to be fearful of the outcome of the Course.

* The manner in which it was written and brought into the world over the past 60 years (10 in the prep and scribing of it) has allowed it to come forth as something that had nothing to do with God when in fact that is ALL THAT IT IS (which is also all that there ever could be that is real ).

* Others are welcome to teach it any way that they want to. I will teach it as I understand it because that is how I continue to grow in understanding.

²Yet it is doing the exercises that will make the goal of the course possible.

* I will add that there is a statement at the end of the Course that says if you follow Father through SPIRIT you do not need the Workbook.

* I had finally found SPIRIT at about 50 years of age (12 years before accepting the Atonement found in A Course in Miracles) but HIS Presence and HIS reality continue to grow within me and I do still benefit from these reviews.

³An untrained mind can accomplish nothing.

* That is a good definition for what I feel SPIRIT helps us with after accepting the Atonement.

⁴It is the purpose of this workbook to train your mind to think along the lines the text sets forth.

(ACIM, W-in.1:1-4)

5. Transfer of training in true perception does not proceed as does transfer of the training of the world. ²If true perception has been achieved in connection with any person, situation or event, total transfer to everyone and everything is certain. ³On the other hand, one exception held apart from true perception makes its accomplishments anywhere impossible.

* It is the “one exception” that may be keeping us from seeing the peace that we can have in Father’s Reality and is why the complete absolving forgiveness of the original error of forgetting to laugh at the idea of separation from God MUST BE ACKNOWLEDGED. Without it we may see our angst as real but with that complete forgiveness we allow Father to help us through SPIRIT to release the irritation and hate that we have for that one exception. In other words, WE DON’T HAVE TO BE PERFECT IF WE ARE WILLING TO SEE WHAT WE HAVE MANIFESTED AS UNREAL.

(ACIM, W-in.5:1-3)

Lesson 5

I am never upset for the reason I think.

(ACIM, W-5)

Lesson 6

I am upset because I see something that is not there.

(ACIM, W-6)

Lesson 7

I see only the past.

(ACIM, W-7)

Lesson 8

My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.

(ACIM, W-8)

Lesson 9

I see nothing as it is now.

(ACIM, W-9)

Lesson 10

My thoughts do not mean anything.

(ACIM, W-10)

Lesson 11

My meaningless thoughts are showing me a meaningless world.

(ACIM, W-11)

Lesson 12

I am upset because I see a meaningless world.

(ACIM, W-12)

Lesson 13

A meaningless world engenders fear.

(ACIM, W-13)

Lesson 14

God did not create a meaningless world.

(ACIM, W-14)

Lesson 15

My thoughts are images that I have made.

(ACIM, W-15)

Lesson 16

I have no neutral thoughts.

(ACIM, W-16)

1. The idea for today is a beginning step in dispelling the belief that your thoughts have no effect. ²Everything you see is the result of your thoughts. ³There is no exception to this fact. ⁴Thoughts are not big or little; powerful or weak. ⁵They are merely true or false. ⁶Those that are true create their own likeness. ⁷Those that are false make theirs. (ACIM, W-16.1:1-7)

* Grab ahold of this and walk in Peace, Joy, and Happiness regardless of what is going on outside of you.

Lesson 17

I see no neutral things.

(ACIM, W-17)

3. As usual, it is essential to make no distinctions between what you believe to be animate or inanimate; pleasant or unpleasant.

²Regardless of what you may believe, you do not see anything that is really alive or really joyous. ³That is because you are unaware as yet of any thought that is really true, and therefore really happy.

* In the Workbook, Jesus tells us how Happiness is found ONLY in knowing that one day ALL will know that GOD IS. That is the ONE TRUTH that I hold dear along with sharing with everyone.

(ACIM, W-17.3:1-3)

* I did post Lesson 18 on so this will conclude my “cliff notes.” Thanks for joining me.

To Father be ALL Glory and Praise Given, AS His Son, debi.