The history of the reception of A Course In Miracles by members of the Sonship has shown that quite a few students have been guided or drawn to using the Original Edition of The Course. It allows us to deepen our study and understanding and to enjoy the depth and beauty contained in the first historic compendium of The Course' content. It had been prepared for all of us by the author and scribes' team in the year 1972. This document which is known as the third in the 'trilogy' of the three cardinal versions of The Course, had only been seen by a rather small group of students until divine orchestration provided for its discovery in the Association for Research and Enlightenment [A.R.E] library on November 29^th, 1999, and its subsequent sharing among Course students. What a glorious gift in the very beginning of the new millennium, and what timing!

          The commonly acknowledged importance of the Trinitarian ontology which is so central to The Course's thought system, once again becomes apparent to the vigilant observer in the smallest detail. With the ur-handscript and the ur-typescript as the first two cardinal versions, the third cardinal version completes the fruit of the co-creative collaboration which was to bring the contemporary teachings of Christ Jesus, faithful to its initial transmission's content from Whole Mind to humanity, into the world.  

          The Course in Miracles Society CIMS has been instrumental in sharing the original Course ever since. The time had also come for translations into various languages, in order to provide more miracle workers worldwide with this beautiful compendium of essential Course teachings in their own respective native tongue. Quickly, the legal modalities for its distribution had also been taken care of, so that its popularity and therefore its usefulness is constantly increasing.

          Meanwhile, the work of scholars and instructors had helped many to find detailed information about the profound differences in form, and therefore in underlying content, when a line-by-line comparison with earlier presentations of The Course were conducted. At the same time the many testimonials shared among students spoke for the tremendous impact the Original Edition has had on the student's development regarding study and application. During my talks to groups of interested Course students in Germany, where we have started to share the translation and audio-book in an interactive manner, Guidance prompts me to cite from the Original Edition, chapter twenty-two, paragraph 22, in order to illustrate my personal, irresistible attraction to the third cardinal version and its content. Philosophically speaking, the author makes one of his unambiguous statements in the context of the underlying 'radical idealism' which, by the way, has been quite challenging for me for years:

"This course will be believed entirely or not at all.
For it is wholly true or wholly false
and cannot be but partially believed." (OrEd.Tx.22.22)

          Surely, as a student I would only be pretending to have reached a more advanced level of mind training than I have actually attained so far if I implied that I truly experience, already, absolutely everything the Course contains. Honesty obliges me to make this clear, yet what is also clear is that once I embark on a course and see its results, then gradual learning and step by step instructions are all geared towards some point of graduation. Hurdles and temporary learning failures are obviously part of the training, and also sufficiently and individually addressed.  

          A course which is honoring "beliefs that lead to progress" also requires solid faith in what is announced and yet to come. (i.e. OrEd.Mn.24.6). The point of graduation in time is also summarized in OrEd.Tx.4.11, where it is said: "Every good teacher hopes to give his students so much of his own thinking that they will one day no longer need him. This is the one real goal of the parent, teacher, and therapist."

          It always made a lot of sense to me to study and use The Course in its entirety and exactly as it has been prepared for us by the author and the scribes' team. This very much seems to be a necessary prerequisite for believing it entirely: learning what it truly says. When this realization had occurred, the next natural development to be observed was that I was not alone in this realization, and others had come to the same conclusion independently.  

          So, one of the shared aspects of the unified purpose in the Atonement had become to join efforts and talents in order to make the Original Edition more widely available, and in other languages for those who are not in a position to read and study it in its originally English language. The author's instruction to always 'listen, learn and do' applied also here.

          What was to be understood before taking on such a task? In chapter seven, paragraph 15 of the Text we are given a clear description of a translators' responsibilities:

 CONTINUED HERE 

            For as long as I can remember, I've played this sort of game with myself and the Universe whereby I walk into a book store and allow myself to be directed to something that I need to read at a particular time. I always remember these events and the books chosen. When I look back, I understand the effect the book had and how it led to other events and knowledge which helped me along the way.

            This is what happened about 10 years ago. I was going through a particular search for meaning and purpose and made regular journeys to our local book store here in Bellingham, Washington. At this time I read everything from Bhagavad Gita to Autobiography of a Yogi to The Power of Now and it was in the Introduction to The Power of Now that I first glimpsed the words, A Course in Miracles. After that, the title would come up in other books until I was convinced that someone or something was trying to tell me something.

            Like most people, my first experience with ACIM was a combination of fascination, euphoria, gratitude and sheer terror. What it was telling me was that everything, and I mean everything, I believed, everything I thought I knew and understood, was not reality. Over time, after reading the text several times over and painstakingly completing the workbook, it became a central part of my life. And so it remains.

            That said, it hasn't stopped my searching for more. My frequency in book stores has diminished, but when I do go I feel compelled as though someone or something is literally pushing me though the door and leading me to a new jewel.

            Recently, I came across The Christ Blueprint, by Padma Aon Prakasha. On a trip to the sacred sites in southern France he had an experience whereby, while sitting down to dinner he recounts: "a form appeared right in front of us, followed by two others. It was a woman, radiant, beautiful, soft, and very present. Behind her was a shadowy figure of a man. She turned and looked toward me, and my heart stopped. It was Mary Magdalene." [The Christ Blueprint, Preface x] Prakasha, the author, then becomes a channel for various historical characters of religious and spiritual significance which he claims came to him in a sort of holographic vision. He would speak the words while his partner transcribed.

            This book in itself is hugely interesting and one I would like to write about at another time. I bring it up because it is what led me to the topic of this article. Again, one written word leading me to another.

            Chapter 7 in The Christ Blueprint is composed of words given to the author from Saint Germain on the topic of Alchemy. It is about transformation and about opening our hearts and minds to truths that have been written and practiced over the ages but also buried and blocked by the world as we know it. He recommends tapping into the four traditions; the Egyptian, Indian, Tibetan, and Hebrew. Then he says, "In modern times, Yeshua's A Course in Miracles and the Way of Mastery books hold direct teachings on the nature of Christ Mind." [CB, p142-143] With the spiritual kick in the butt, I, of course, had to find and read this Way of Mastery. I figured if Saint Germain himself acknowledges ACIM as the groundbreaking and transformative book that I also believe it is and puts Way of Mastery in the same category and having the same author and voice, then that is certainly the book for me.

            The Way of Mastery has not disappointing. Without going much into its history and somewhat turbulent publication, it has much in common with ACIM in form and content. Like ACIM it was published anonymously, has the familiar blue binding and has Jesus or Yesuha as the author and voice.

            What strikes me as different about the two texts is more in tone and tenor. If you are among the many who struggle with the text of ACIM, either because of the way it is written, its more cerebral format or its religious wording, then you might find Way Of Mastery, exceedingly refreshing, enlightening, exciting and extremely practical. To me, it reads like a no-holds-barred Jesus, imploring us to follow our hearts desire, to stop fearing and start living our "grand self," and this hit home for me, to stop being a seeker. Instead, be a finder.

 CONTINUED HERE   

*Ed Pettit is a 10 year student of the course living in Bellingham, WA.  

          You may have already heard of the COMMUNITY MIRACLES CENTER [CMC], especially in connection with the Bi-Annual "A Course in Miracles [ACIM] Conference", which will be in CHICAGO April 26, 27, 28, 2013.  Or you may have seen the CMC tweets or have become aware of the CMC Facebook page, and have wondered ~ What exactly IS CMC? Who is Reverend Tony Ponticello and what is the connection to ACIM?

           That is the purpose of this article. As a Supporting Member of CMC, as a student coming down the home stretch of the 2 year ministerial program, and as a friend of Reverend Tony Ponticello, I am blessed to have had the CMC in my life. Now I would like to offer to you the chance to know more about CMC and learn more about my personal experiences as a "Supporting Member" of CMC.

          Actually, my inspiration first came about after I read the cover article in the September

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issue of CMC magazine MIRACLES MONTHLY written by  Reverend Tony called, "Politics and Spirituality". The article is a lightly edited transcription of a talk given at CMC by Reverend Tony after both political conventions were over. It is a beautiful illustration of listening and sharing from GUIDANCE. When I  started the article there was no putting it down until I read every word!  Just exquisite!

          When I ask myself when it was that I had first been aware of CMC I realized that I had previously known of the CMC, almost from its inception, since I had been studying the Course since 1983 and kept tabs with the Course Community over those years. However, it wasn't until 2000 that I finally came to the Bi-Annual ACIM Conference in San Francisco and had the pleasure of meeting and hugging Reverend Tony Ponticello and Reverend Larry Bedini who both co-founded the CMC in 1987.  

          That was the year, 2000, in which we incorporated Course in Miracles Society [CIMS] and completed the very first printing of the Original Edition which at that time was called: "Jesus' Course in Miracles". This was the 1972 manuscript of A Course in Miracles newly discovered at the Edgar Cayce Library. It was this manuscript that was the reason for our creating Course in Miracles Society [CIMS]. We wanted to disseminate this beautiful document to everyone.

          Reverend Tony was very supportive at this time and after the copyright was cancelled by Judge Sweet in his judgment of the Court Copyright Case in 2003, CMC sold the 'Original Edition' in their Book Store. Eventually, Reverend Tony made the decision to base the Ministerial Program on the 'original edition' published by CIMS.

         On-Line Edit Discussion Boards were eventually created on the CMC website on which corrections, changes and omissions in the 'Original Edition' could be shared and decided upon.  Although these EDIT discussion boards are not open, everyone is encouraged to READ the discussions. There is also a Miracles On-Line Discussion Group [MOLDG], that includes general discussion about ACIM on multiple topics, that is open and may be READ by non-members, while Supporting Members may comment and post.

          So what exactly is CMC? Is it an organization, a corporation or a Church? Actually, it's all three. Community Miracles Center, is an "official church organization" established 25 years ago in 1987 by Reverend Tony Ponticello and Reverend Larry Bedini based on A COURSE IN MIRACLES. As explained in the FAQ section of the CMC website, "official church" is a legal designation provided to a non-profit corporation as long as that corporation:

  has been formed for the public benefit

  has services open to the public and

  has been formed around a specific spiritual teaching

          The "official church" must comply with these stipulations but must also be officially 'recognized' by the State in which it is incorporated as well as by the Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America.  CMC  applied for and received both of these recognitions which took about two years to complete.  

           On the CMC website you will find that, "Official churches also have the right to ordain legal ministers. Legal ministers can perform marriages and are legal 'pastoral counselors.' There is no legal difference between the CMC's ministers and any priest or minister from any other faith."  

          The ordination process at CMC is a full two year program. Upon the completion of the first year of the ministerial program [ACIM-1],  the student is certified as "A Course in Miracles Practitioner of the Community Miracles Center" and then becomes qualified to take part in the second year of the program [ACIM-2].  The first year class studies the TEXT and the second year class studies the WORKBOOK, MANUAL for TEACHERS, Clarification of Terms, Psychotherapy: Purpose Process and Practice and Song of Prayer. The process during the first year is a weekly conference call on which the students read and discuss the Course.  

          The process during  the second year of the ministerial program continues to be the weekly conference call, however the students also have a  monthly rotating lesson partner which they call daily to read, and study the Lesson for the day.  In addition, the Students have a 'service commitment' which must be something that directly benefits the Community Miracles Center and must do volunteer work for a local non-profit organization for a year.

          Once the two years of commitments are completed, the students are ordained as "A Course in Miracles Ministers of the Community Miracles Center".  

          One of the lessons in the Course says, "When I am healed, I am not healed alone." And there is the idea throughout the Course that awakening is a 'collaborative venture'. As we made the journey through the text and lessons together with the other ministerial students, we were guided by the program to relate the material to our own lives and our own experiences.  This is what drew me to the program. The Teacher is the Student and the Student is the Teacher.  We journey to healing, hand in hand.  

Community Miracles Center Staff

          What also drew me to this program is the ecumenical attitude exemplified by Reverend Tony.  It's the same ecumenical attitude that drew me toward YOGA in the 70's when I first began my spiritual journey.  Even as a child I felt inside that we are ALL GOD'S CHILDREN, with no one excluded.  

          And it is that same ecumenical spirit with which Reverend Tony wrote the lead article, "Politics and Spirituality" in the latest MIRACLES MONTHLY Magazine that lets me know the CMC speaks for my HEART.  

          Thank you Reverend Tony [and my dear Reverend Larry, now passed] for your inspiration, dedication and devotion to BEING the message of A COURSE IN MIRACLES.   

~Reja Janaki Joy Green
Co-Founder of Course in Miracles Society      

 ~*~

  For more information regarding Community Miracles Center please visit their website:    

http://www.miracles-course.org/joomla/

ARTICLE 

~*~

*Reja Janaki Joy Green  is one of the founding members of the Course in Miracles Society [CIMS]; She teaches Hatha Yoga and hosts Facebook Groups:  ACIM and Yoga & Hatha Yoga with Reja; She currently resides with her husband Chris Green in Omaha, NE.
 
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