Part 2 of our podcast series “How to Seek and Discern Guidance” is full of practice questions including when to ask, how often to ask, our resistance to asking, how to ask, how to listen for the answer, and how to discern real guidance from your own thoughts. If you want to take guidance from “I know I should, but how?” to something you turn to for actual decisions throughout the day, you’ll want to catch this episode with Robert and Emily. #spiritualawakening #spiritualpath #spirituality  ______________________ We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. -Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ -Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you’ve been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

Asking for guidance from the Holy Spirit is a perennial source of questions and confusion for students of A Course in Miracles. In this podcast—the first of two parts—Robert and Emily will discuss why we ask, whom we ask, and what we ask about. They will track this topic as it shows up in all three volumes of the Course, along with The Song of Prayer supplement and the personal guidance to Helen and Bill. They will also share about their own experience and history with asking for guidance. If you have felt confused, confounded, or curious about the topic of guidance, you will want to make sure you catch this episode. ****************************** We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you’ve been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

There is a reason that a million voices are promising us greater physical health: We all want it and need it. What if the real road to health is something that we are not hearing from those million voices? A Course in Miracles has a teaching about health that runs through its pages, but it’s not what conventional doctors and alternative health practitioners are telling us. What is this teaching? How, according to the Course, can we enjoy glowing health, where our body is so immune that “It needs no complicated structures of defense, no health-inducing medicine, no care, and no concern at all”? Please join Robert and Emily as they explore this important and controversial topic. ***************** We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you’ve been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

In part two of their 2-part series, Robert and Emily interview Tam Morgan, president of the Foundation for Inner Peace (FIP) and daughter of FIP cofounder Judith Skutch-Whitson. Tam’s psychic gifts are what originally inspired her mother’s interest in the paranormal, an interest that ultimately led Judy to publish the original edition of A Course in Miracles with scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford. Tam has led a fascinating and colorful life where, as a teenager, she was able to get to know Bill Thetford, Helen Schucman, and Ken Wapnick, and then become president of the Foundation her mother began. In this interview, Robert and Emily ask Tam more about her relationship with Course co-scribe Bill Thetford, more about the dynamics she observed between Helen, Bill, Ken, and Judy, and also what she sees for the future of the Course and for the Foundation for Inner Peace. We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more: https://circleofa.org/ - Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/ - Whether you are new to ACIM or you’ve been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

In this episode, Robert and Emily interview Tam Morgan, president of the Foundation for Inner Peace (FIP) and daughter of FIP cofounder Judith Skutch-Whitson. Tam’s psychic gifts are what originally inspired her mother’s interest in the paranormal, an interest that ultimately led Judy to publish the original edition of A Course in Miracles with scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford. Tam has led a fascinating and colorful life where, as a teenager, she was able to get to know Bill Thetford, Helen Schucman, and Ken Wapnick, and then become president of the Foundation her mother began. In this interview, which is part 1 of a 2-part series, Robert and Emily ask Tam about the psychic gifts that presented during her childhood as well as the dynamics she observed between Helen, Bill, Ken Wapnick, and Judy. This episode will be of interest to longtime Course students as well as new students who want to learn more about the history of this path from someone who witnessed it firsthand.

Does A Course in Miracles have anything to say about politics? Some say no—it’s strictly about changing your own mind. Other say yes—it contains a vision for a new world based not on competition and materialism but on love and forgiveness. As a follow-up to the recent episode on Marianne Williamson’s campaign for the US presidency, Emily and Robert share their views on the Course’s relationship to politics. They explore at length four principles from the Course that could form the basis for a political vision and indeed for a new world. And they conclude by discussing a passage from the Course that describes a distant future in which material things are no longer valued, and instead, the whole world is united in perfecting forgiveness.

Marianne Williamson is running for president. The person who is probably most associated in the public mind with A Course in Miracles is running for the most powerful office in the world. What should we as Course students think and feel about that? Some believe the Course has nothing to do with politics. But what does the Course itself say? In this episode, Emily and Robert talk about Marianne’s candidacy—what it means for the Course and what it might mean for the country. They talk about FDR's “Four Freedoms” and how they are an unexpected meeting place between Marianne’s political vision and A Course in Miracles. Robert and Emily also talk about how we as Course students might welcome Marianne's candidacy even if we may not completely share her political outlook. Either way, A Course in Miracles has in some sense marched onto the national political stage. Join Robert and Emily as they navigate through the choppy waters of what this means for students of this path.

Blessing is a familiar concept in our culture. We say “bless you” when someone sneezes or offer a blessing before a meal. Blessing has also been part of religion and spirituality for millennia, where it is seen as transferring sacred power to another person. Interestingly, blessing is also an important topic in A Course in Miracles, where it is referred to nearly 300 times. These references are a goldmine of both teaching and practice about this important concept. In this episode, Robert and Emily Perry explore the concept of blessing it appears in A Course in Miracles. Robert and Emily discuss what we are blessing people with and where we are drawing that blessing from. And they also go through the four specific practices that the Course gives us for offering a blessing to others.

Spiritual bypassing is defined as using spiritual truth to sidestep the work of facing issues on a personal, interpersonal, or societal level. This is a topic that has been associated with A Course in Miracles due in part to the Course’s core teaching of unconditional forgiveness as well as the teaching that, no matter what we do to each other here - including the worst of what human beings do to one another, we can never make ourselves guilty on the level of spirit.   The arguments around the Course and spiritual bypassing can initially sound persuasive - and very serious Course students who have been confronted with these ideas have questioned the path or even abandoned it altogether. But for those who also care about making the world a more just and safe place for everyone and who want to keep the Course as our path - where does that leave us? How are we to think about all of this? In this podcast, Circle executive director Emily Bennington Perry answers these questions using a three-stage process in Course of partial innocence, partial wisdom, and true innocence. This bonus episode is taken from a sermon Emily delivered for our Course Companions Community and in it you will learn that what’s really going to create the change that everyone wants to see is not our withdrawal or our anger but our love.

The “holy instant” is a lovely term in A Course in Miracles. Who wouldn’t want to experience a holy instant? Yet unclarity abounds regarding this key aspect of the Course’s path. Join Robert and Emily as they cover a wide range of topics regarding the holy instant, including: What is a holy instant? What are the benefits? How do you know if you are having one? What are examples of holy instants? What do we do to have them? What can go wrong in trying to have them? How do they relate to miracles? What is their importance in the Course? What is their connection with relationships? If you've ever wondered about how to make holy instants a part of your everyday, you won't want to miss this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles. The Circle of Atonement is a nonprofit sharing the wisdom of A Course in Miracles since 1993. Our mission is to help you achieve a deeper understanding of Course teachings and apply them in everyday life. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course’s purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more at https://circleofa.org/

#spiritualawakening #spiritualpodcasts #spirituality #acourseinmiracles In this episode, Robert and Emily finish their tour through the ten traits of the spiritually advanced from the Manual for Teachers of A Course in Miracles. The final trait is open-mindedness, which the Course says is perhaps the last trait we acquire. That’s because it involves truly opening our minds about who people are. Our judgments have quickly slapped labels on them, but now we leave room to let our inner Teacher reveal to us who they are. And that is how we at last forgive—forgiveness, you could say, being the eleventh trait, the pinnacle to which all this is leading. Robert and Emily also summarize the entire picture presented by the ten traits. What is the overall portrait that they paint? How would someone possessing these traits move through the world? What kind of person, in other words, are we ourselves aiming to become? We hope you enjoy this final episode our six week series. ———————————————————————- We are here to help you with both the theory and application of what A Course In Miracles (ACIM) offers. Since 1993, the Circle’s purpose has been to bring to students and the world the profound and unparalleled wisdom of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (what we call the "CE"). Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. - Learn more about us: https://circleofa.org/  Download the ACIM CE App (100% free) to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world: https://acimce.app/  Whether you are new to ACIM or you’ve been a student for many years, join our free community to find a vast collection of resources and loving friends to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life. There is no charge to join and all are welcome with optional to access premier content: https://community.circleofa.org/

We are nearing the end of our tour through the ten traits of the spiritually advanced. This week Robert and Emily talk about patience and faithfulness and, as usual, the Course has unique things to say about both. First, it says that the basis for genuine patience is trust. If we truly trust in the outcome, we can wait with no anxiety whatsoever. In addition, the concept of faithfulness here is not about being faithful to God or others, but about being faithful in applying the Course’s principles to every problem and situation we face. This is so important that it is literally the measure of our spiritual advancement. Please join Robert and Emily as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

As we continue our tour through the 10 traits of the spiritually advanced from the Manual for Teachers of A Course in Miracles, our episode this week centers on defenselessness and generosity. How can we be defenseless in an attacking world? What does the Course say about the kind of generosity required of someone spiritually advanced? Join Robert and Emily for closer look at this very important Course teaching and how to apply it to our lives. The Circle of Atonement is a nonprofit sharing the wisdom of A Course in Miracles since 1993. Our mission is to help students achieve a deeper understanding of Course teachings and apply them in everyday life. Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, our years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and our desire to see the Course’s purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world. Learn more at https://circleofa.org/

In this episode we cover the fourth and fifth characteristics of the spiritually advanced: gentleness and joy. However much we may admire gentleness, we worry that in a stubborn world it’s simply too weak to get the job done. But could it be that we have underestimated what the Course calls the “limitless the strength of gentleness”? Gentleness is so strong, says the Course, that it can grant us joy. Not as a fleeting emotion, but as a constant state, so constant that it’s one of our character traits. Please join Robert and Emily as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

This episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles covers honesty and tolerance, the second and third characteristics of the spiritually advanced in the Manual for Teachers. Perhaps we see these as beginner traits, far below the spiritual heights, but the Course grants them a much loftier significance. It speaks of an extreme form of honesty, which it calls “perfect honesty” and which we might call ultra-integrity. Likewise, it speaks of an extreme kind of tolerance, in which we are so tolerant that all things are equally acceptable and everyone is our brother. Please join Robert Perry and Emily Bennington as they discuss these two traits and how we can acquire them.

With this podcast we are embarking on a six-episode series, something we haven’t done before. The series is on the remarkable section in the Course on “What Are the Characteristics of God’s Teachers?” This section lays out ten character traits of the spiritual advanced. What kind of person are we aiming to become on the spiritual path? What kind of character will have as we near the end? That is what this series will attempt to answer. In this episode, we introduce the series and dive into the first characteristic: trust. The section repeatedly emphasizes that all the other traits rest on the foundation of trust. It is essential, therefore, to understand what this trust is. What exactly are we trusting? What does this trust look like? How do we develop it? What kind of life does it produce? Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington address these questions and more.

We often think of goals as being out of keeping with spiritual awakening.  A Course in Miracles, however, believes in the importance of goals.  It encourages the same kind of goal-directed behavior that an Olympic athlete might use, except that now we set and pursue spiritual goals, rather than material ones. The reason is simple: Reaching any sort of destination is a function of how much energy you consistently put in its direction.  And that is what goals are about: deciding you want to get somewhere and putting consistent energy in that direction.  If you are open to being more goal-directed in your pursuit of the ultimate goal, the goal of God, join Robert and Emily as they discuss four principles from A Course in Miracles for setting and pursuing spiritual goals, the only ones that truly matter in life.

This podcast episode features Jeffrey Mishlove, Ph.D., the first-prize winner of the Bigelow Institute contest for essays on the evidence for survival of physical death. He was the host of the long-running PBS series Thinking Allowed, and is currently the host of the YouTube series New Thinking Allowed. Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington talk with Jeffrey about evidence for life after death and for the spiritual nature of reality, and what this means for our lives and the future of humanity.

We hope you will join in for a conversation that is more personal than usual to learn practices that will benefit your own relationships. Holy relationships are a bit of a mystery. What makes them work? What throws them off track? In this podcast, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington will share what they are learning within their own holy relationship. In particular, they will describe what they call the “three legs of the stool,” each of which is crucial to a relationship that is both holy and whole.

Wouldn’t we all love to have our material needs effortlessly supplied by God? What does the Course say about this idea? In the second of our 2-part series on “Manifesting and A Course in Miracles,” Robert and Emily discuss places in the Course that address trusting God with the physical journey of our lives which includes our finances, possessions, and circumstances.