Have you asked yourself any of these questions?
- Why does the peace of mind that I so desperately want elude me?
- Why do I feel like I don’t belong in this world?
- Why would a loving God create such a chaotic and meaningless existence?
- Am I seriously meant to believe that God is ‘testing’ me and that the trials I face are to prepare me better for Heaven?
- Why would a loving God subject His only son to a horrible death to atone for the sins of mortals, whom He created in His own image and therefore must be already perfect?
These and similar questions plagued me for most of my life until I was introduced to A Course in Miracles. Its radical teachings not only changed my life but answered my questions. This website aims at sharing my journey as a student of the Course. I hope you will see enough here to prompt you to want to learn more.
On the About page of this website, in the section titled A Course in Miracles, you will find information on how to access the teachings of the Course and explore further.
Forgiveness is the Key
In the Course’s words, Forgiveness is the Key to Happiness. Hence its use as the title of my blog.
The Clarification of Terms in the CE Edition of A Course in Miracles describes forgiveness thus:
Letting go of our false perception that another sinned against us and deserves our anger, and thereby releasing that person from the guilt we had laid upon her. Forgiveness, then, is the recognition “that there is nothing to forgive” (T-15.VIII.5:7). This contrasts with the conventional understanding of forgiveness, in which we retain the perception that another sinned against us and deserves our anger, yet then try to let go of the anger that is part of that perception. “Forgiveness is the central theme which runs throughout salvation” (W-169.10:5). The Course teaches that through forgiving our brothers, we come to forgive ourselves. [CE Glossary-11.1]
In essence, we can never sully who we are as we were created by God, that is, perfect and sinless. Therefore when we forgive we are simply recognising our brother (or sister) for who they are and who we are: perfect children of God. This does not mean that we did not intend to cause hurt or harm to another, but these mistakes cannot taint who we are at our very core. Forgiveness in the Course is recognising that the other person has not sinned, seeing them as they truly are. We are not being asked to look away but to look through unreality to what is real.
Yes, this is radical and extreme and you may already be turning away in disgust. But bear with me and take a little time to find out more, not just about how forgiveness features in A Course in Miracles, but how the Course reframes many of the beliefs we hold, whether we belong to a particular religion or faith or are simply trying to make sense of the world we live in.
I want to be clear that I am not an expert on the topic of A Course in Miracles, nor am I attempting to teach the Course. The content of my writing reflects my personal journey with the Course.