10 Tips and Strategies for Learning A Course in Miracles

Follow these suggestions to support your practice of A Course in Miracles

Anyone who has glanced through a copy of A Course in Miracles and contemplated studying it has probably thought one (or all) of the following questions:

1. How do I begin studying this?

2. How am I going to read all of these pages?

3. How can I use this in my daily life?

I don’t believe there is one answer to any of these questions that would be universally applicable to everyone. Those for whom the Course is a spiritual path find a way of engaging with the text, workbook, and manual that works for them.

As we read the Course and meditate upon its principles, we begin to appreciate the efficacy of the Course’s application in what we say, do, and experience.

From my own experience, I have found some strategies and tips that have been useful in my own learning about the Course. These may be helpful to those new to the Course or anyone who is familiar with it and is interested in more fully applying the principles in their lives. I can’t claim these will work for everyone. Maybe they’ll work for you, or perhaps you’ll develop your own approach in your study and application.

Studying and applying the Course’s principles is a process. It is an ongoing learning experience where one recursively returns to a reflection on (and conscious consideration of) how one thinks, and how one’s way of thinking manifests through one’s relationships and experiences. 

It took me years to study, gain, and develop an appreciation for the Course, and I continue to study it. When I began, I started by reading the Course text and the workbook. I was able to get partway through. But I did not continue at that point.

Like many others, I found the language to be dense. I did not understand everything I was reading. I struggled with some of the workbook exercises. I was unable to see the connections between the text and the workbook exercises. And so, despite my appreciation of the metaphysics the text discusses, I set the Course aside and would not return to it for a few years. 

What I did not understand then is that it is not enough to read the Course or read the workbook exercises. I needed to study the Course, study the workbook exercises, and proactively work to apply the principles. When I did resume the Course years later, I did so from this perspective. The challenges of life led me to recognize that I needed to engage in a practice of study.

I needed to practice what I was studying, not just think about what I was reading. And so I began again. This time, I did so with the goal to more fully live the principles of the Course rather than possess an intellectual understanding of the Course’s metaphysics. Since then, I have read the text and completed the workbook exercises multiple times.  

The following are 10 tips and strategies that have supported my practice and study of the Course. 

1. Begin with the Course text and workbook

I found that by reading the text along with the workbook, I had a better understanding of the theoretical foundations and metaphysics that aligned with the experiences the workbook exercises sought to support. This involved reading the daily workbook exercise along with some of the Course text. 

2. Read slowly and take your time 

The volumes in A Course in Miracles should not be read quickly. You might read one or two sentences and find that the wisdom and depth conveyed therein is enough for deep contemplation. Take the time to absorb as much as you can from what you read. I found that giving myself time to read and to do so slowly allowed me to engage with the Course’s content on a much deeper level than had I read quickly. Go slow. Pay attention to the words. If something isn’t clear, go back and read the sentence or passage again. When doing the workbook, follow the guidance provided at the beginning, particularly that only one lesson should be undertaken a day.  

3. Implement a daily schedule 

Mornings are the best time of the day for me to read and study the Course. I begin each day reading from the text and/or the daily workbook exercise. Creating a daily schedule or routine (e.g., time of day, location) for when and where you’ll engage in your study will help build a habit of practice. Not needing to figure out where or when to study may support being able to more fully focus on gaining the most from my study. 

4. Follow the workbook instructions as much as possible

Workbook lessons will provide instructions and guidance on how often to meditate upon the daily message and for how long. While some of these might call for a meditation period of a few minutes twice daily, others might call for a reflection on the daily message each quarter hour. Part of doing the Course is learning how to forgive ourselves (and each other), and proactively turning our thoughts and attention to align ourselves with love. Doing the best one can when following the workbook exercises is not a bad thing. The important point to remember is to keep going and not allow failure to follow the instructions to serve as an excuse to give up.  

5. Use Course related literature and resources 

I found it useful to read Course related literature from a variety of authors. I also found it helpful to read online discussion boards and websites about the Course to support my understanding. I doubt there is any universal consensus on any one particular approach to the course or, at times, interpretations of the Course itself. Some may fully agree with the lens provided by Kenneth Wapnick. Some might argue that the Circle of Atonement presents a perspective that is logical and in keeping with the Course’s central themes. Some might read work by Marianne Williamson while others may not. Today, there is much more Course-related literature and resources available than in the past. Despite the differences between and among some of these authors or organizations, they may be informative and help support the process of learning and applying the Course’s principles. 

6. Keep a journal about doing the workbook and reading the Course

We develop our understanding of the Course by reading the Course, meditating and reflecting upon its content, and applying what we learn to our thinking, our relationships, and our lives. Writing about my own learning in a journal has been a particularly useful support. It has helped support my own meaning-making of the Course and how it applies to my life. A journal can provide a space to write about the content of the Course itself and what you’ve learned. It can also be a space to write about how the application of the Course principles manifest in one’s experiences. 

7. Focus on the experience of doing the Course

All too often, I believe that there are some who get caught up on debating some of the finer points or particular use of language in the Course. And much of this seems to be to the determinant of having the kind of experience that the Course aims to promote. I have found that focusing on what my actual experience is (e.g., feeling at peace, love, harmony) has been far more important than settling a debate about the interpretation of particular Course passages. Perhaps, part of the lesson for all of us is to agree to disagree and not allow differences of interpretation to impede upon the experience of oneness.

8. Keep going even if something isn’t fully clear

 Sometimes, when reading the text or a workbook lesson, it may appear that a passage or sentence is unclear or confusing. Sometimes, rereading these and pausing to reflect might be useful in understanding or appreciating what is being conveyed. But in other moments, this might not work. In that case, I found it OK to continue by reading and studying and just keep going. The ideas, concepts, themes, and principles in the Course are presented recursively, almost in a spiral-like manner. What was unclear will surface again in a different portion of the text, workbook, or manual. Thus, you’ll return to these same ideas as they are discussed in different ways. The goal is to practice and to continue to learn and grow from one’s practice.

9. Apply what you’re learning as much as possible

The Course calls on us to apply what we are learning, particularly in the workbook exercise, indiscriminately and to as many situations as possible. A goal is to generalize the lessons and recognize (and remove) the barriers to love in our lives. Returning to the daily lesson and the text’s content throughout the day in both situations that are pleasant and unpleasant, can help to facilitate the experience the Course aims to provide rather than just an intellectual understanding.

10. Enjoy your study and practice of the Course

Lastly, and perhaps as important as the previous nine strategies and tips, is to enjoy your study and practice of the Course. Turning away from a mindset rooted in fear towards a love-centered frame of thought is a process that unfolds with time. Gladly take up your reading and study of the Course, and approach each day with an openness to the miracles and possibilities present therein. 

What suggestions do you have for others who are exploring A Course in Miracles? What has worked for you? Join the conversation by sharing your comments and make sure to subscribe so you won’t miss out on future weekly newsletters!