In this Sunday Gathering sermon, Emily Perry explores one of A Course in Miracles' most beautiful and foundational teachings: your true identity as God created you. Not the self defined by the ego, the world, or the body—but the self that is holy, boundless, joyful, and eternally one with God.

Drawing on powerful passages from the Workbook and Text, you will learn: 

• Where we currently seek our identity (and why it never satisfies) 

• What the Course says is actually true about us

• The subtle ways we lose sight of who we are

• The practices that help restore our awareness of our holiness

• How knowing our true identity naturally leads to healing, forgiveness, and miracles

If you've ever struggled with doubt or self-judgment, this sermon will help you reclaim a vision of yourself grounded in God's love, not the ego's limitations. Watch now to reconnect with the Self that is complete, healed, whole—and forever held.

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a revised hardcover*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/

Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

Is the spiritual journey a solo project? Some students think the Course means "no one out there," so caring, helping, or addressing suffering isn't really part of our awakening. In this conversation, Robert and Emily Perry make a practical case—straight from the Course—that others are real, essential, and central to our path home.

What you'll learn:

• Why "the world is an illusion" doesn't equal "people aren't real"
• How the Course speaks about "others," "brothers," and "minds" (hundreds of times!)
• The line that's often quoted—"there is no other"—and what it actually means in context
• The fruits of an other-oriented practice, including love, joining, forgiveness, service, and miracles

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a revised hardcover*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says, years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/

Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Robert and Emily Perry dive into one of the most important questions of the spiritual journey: Who is God, really?

• How we see God shapes everything.
• If we see Him as hostile, we live in fear. 
• If we see Him as indifferent, we feel alone. 
• But if we know Him as gracious and loving, we can live with peace, trust, and the deep assurance that we are never alone. 

Drawing on insights from A Course in Miracles and the work of theologian Marcus Borg, Emily and Robert explore how our image of God profoundly impacts the way we experience life. Along the way, they share why the Course's vision of God as a deeply personal and unconditionally loving Creator may be one of its greatest contributions.

If you've ever wrestled with your image of God—or wondered what A Course in Miracles really teaches about Him—this conversation is for you.

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

• You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/

• Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

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.

In this Sunday Gathering message, Emily Perry invites you to explore one of the most important questions on the spiritual journey: Who is your path calling you to become? Through real-life examples, practical guidance, and the wisdom from the Course, you'll see how trust, honesty, gentleness, joy, and open-mindedness are not just ideals—they are the daily practice of awakening.

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

• You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/
  
  

• Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/
  
  

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

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.

One of the most influential spiritual teachings of our time is that our thoughts create our reality and that we can use our thoughts to manifest the things we desire. 
We do this by employing "the law of attraction." 

Does A Course in Miracles teach anything like this? Does the Course address it? And, apart from manifesting, does the Course ever say that through our use of spiritual means our material needs can be effortlessly met? 

Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington for a discussion on "Manifesting and A Course in Miracles."

We consider being well-adjusted to be the epitome of mental health. But what if we are adjusting to an insane world?

Could we be like good cult members who learn to blend right in with the craziness around them?

What is the origin of our obsession with adjustment?

Listen as Robert and Emily discuss the true results of adjusting to insanity and what A Course in Miracles recommends as our way out.

In this bonus episode, Circle of Atonement executive director Emily Bennington shares how Jesus' original message changed our world and asks, "Are we willing to make our lives, even in their most ordinary details, a witness to our care for others? Can we truly reorient ourselves towards living his love ethic?"

Fear is an emotion that undermines all of us, draining our strength and ruining our peace. 

Thank goodness, then, A Course in Miracles contains extensive teaching on fear—on its cause and its solution. We tend to believe that fear is caused directly in us by outside events, and that the only way to dispel it is to master our fear and assert our power. 

But there's another way.

The Course teaches that our fear is entirely caused from within, by how we choose to think. Listen to Circle of Atonement founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington in this podcast recording, and learn why the Course says complete freedom from fear is within our reach.

The Golden Rule (e.g. "do unto others as you would have them do unto you") is found in all the world's great religions. The language used may be different, but the wisdom behind it is the same.

Accordingly, it's safe to say there is something about The Golden Rule that has commanded humanity's universal respect.

But does it have a place in A Course in Miracles?

Indeed, the Course does contain a whole teaching about the Golden Rule. Listen now to this conversation between Robert and Emily, to find out what it is and how to apply it to your life.

We see ourselves, quite naturally, as being on a physical journey in which we are constantly trying to control our external circumstances in order to erect a good life. 

But while we are engrossed in that project, we are simultaneously on another journey, a spiritual journey. 

In this podcast, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington discuss the relationship between these two journeys, as well as which is the real one of our lives.

There is no more basic and universal response to the Divine than prayer. 

Yet we all have questions about how to do it. 

Whom do we pray to? 
What do we pray for? 
How can we pray most effectively? 

These questions can be especially confusing for students of A Course in Miracles, who often wonder if we should pray at all. Yet there is no mystery about any of these questions in the Course itself. 

The Course contains extensive instruction on prayer, roughly 200 references to prayer, and over 150 actual prayers. Out of all this arises a groundbreaking and truly beautiful approach to prayer. 
It is this approach that Robert and Emily discuss in this episode.

In this episode, Robert and Emily Perry dive into the content and the backstory of "The Journey Into Fear"—a newly restored Text section in the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles. The message of this section is as radical as it is liberating – to uncover the love in us, we must first face the hate in us – but it's also uncomfortable. So uncomfortable, in fact, it was removed from the original publication of the Course. Why would A Course in Miracles ask us to look at something so uncomfortable? And what happens when we do? We hope you'll join Robert and Emily for this deep, honest, and ultimately hopeful conversation. You will learn:

• Why we believe this material was removed – and why it was restored. 
• The cost of keeping your hate buried. 
• How facing our hate frees the love within us.

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

• You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/
  
  

• Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/
  
  

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

Author's Note:
"This is an edited version of a very long email I sent to the Circle board on January 30, 2002. I had recently discovered the guidance Helen received on December 31, 1975, in which Jesus spoke of the Course growing 'from infancy into a helper of the world.'

This guidance electrified me because it so closely mirrored long-time guidance and thoughts of my own about the Course's purpose in the world. And since my guidance and thoughts were also about the Circle's role, I felt this guidance indirectly supported my sense about the Circle's part in the Course's destiny."

We hope you enjoy this episode!

Millions of people are streaming out of the Christian church these days.

Most of them are unaware that A Course in Miracles may be the perfect landing spot for them.

The Course was intentionally written to those who were rooted in the Christian tradition yet also need healing from it. It brings to the foreground all that we loved about Jesus and Christianity, but that was buried beneath so much that was confusing, divisive, and hurtful.

Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington as they open a dialogue on this very important topic.

A Course in Miracles says that Heaven is "merely an awareness of perfect oneness."

Yet it also talks about God, Christ, Sons of God, our creations, the Holy Spirit, and angels all being within that oneness.

So how do we resolve that?

Are those names just different ways of talking about the oneness? Or are there distinct beings within the oneness?

And if there are, is it still "perfect oneness"?

If you want to learn more about the Course's teaching on oneness (including how it does and doesn't connect with nonduality), you will not want to miss this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles with Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington.

Many students ask us what A Course in Miracles has to say about plants and animals?

If the world around us is an illusion, what does that mean for nature? Should we just ignore it?

We usually assume that humans have great worth and intelligence, but we don't tend to grant that same assumption to plants and animals.

In light of this, when the Course talks about animals, plants, and even grains of sand and waves on the ocean, it offers us a surprisingly different perspective.

In this fascinating conversation, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington ask us to consider the concept of all living things being an honored part of the Sonship, and how this can help us heal a world that is in desperate need of healing.

Roger Walsh, professor of psychiatry and religious studies at University of California at Irvine, has been with the Course from nearly the beginning and has practiced the Course on a daily basis for decades.

He brings a breadth of learning into how the Course relates to the world's great spiritual traditions as well as the unique contributions it offers.

His interests focus on topics such as exceptional psychological health and wellbeing, practices to cultivate them such as meditation, yoga and lifestyle, virtues such as wisdom and altruism, transpersonal and integral studies.

During this episode with Roger we discuss guidance, Bill Thetford stories, relationships, forgiveness, the Christian dimension of the Course, and much more.

This is a time in which good leaders are desperately needed, and our collective ideas about leadership are changing dramatically.

In this heartfelt discussion, Emily Bennington and Robert Perry discuss what ACIM has to say about leadership, and asks how we can be the kind of leaders it is asking us to be - in our lives and in the world.

They also invite us to question the influence we have over others, whether or not we consider ourselves to be "leaders" in a formal sense.

If you're a Course student, you've likely approached the Holy Spirit many more times than you have approached a conversation with God.

"Ask the Holy Spirit."

"Turn it over to the Holy Spirit."

These are such common phrases in practice, but we still see a lot of confusion around who and what He (Holy Spirit) is.
In this episode of Exploring A Course In Miracles, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington discuss the basic questions to help viewers gain a more complete understanding of the Holy Spirit.

How did He come into being?

What does He do in our lives?

What is His relationship to God and Jesus?

We hope you enjoy the episode and strengthen your relationship with both the Holy Spirit and the Course itself.

A Course in Miracles is a very practical path, but its practicality rests on some extremely unconventional views about the nature of reality.

Is there evidence for those views?

That is what we discuss with philosopher and writer Sharon Hewitt Rawlette. Sharon is a recent prize winner in the Bigelow Institute contest for essays on the evidence for life after death.

In this conversation, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington ask Sharon about evidence for the existence of God, life after death, angels, whether there is a prearranged plan for our lives, and much more.

Join us for an illuminating discussion on remarkable evidence for a different picture of reality.

Perhaps we remember our parents saying, "Wait till you get out into the real world!"

We know that world, where life is a struggle because no one gives you a break. But according to A Course in Miracles, that's the illusion, and we can look past that illusion "into beauty that will enchant you, and will never cease to cause you wonderment at its perfection." That, says the Course, is the real world. What is it? How can we see it?

Join Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington for a discussion on this important Course teaching.

"Shadow figures" is the term A Course in Miracles uses for the images we carry of people from our past who didn't give us the love we craved. These "ghosts" haunt our present. We project them onto individuals in the present, so that we relate to those present individuals as if they were the ghosts from the past. No wonder our relationships don't work!

Join Circle Teachers Robert Perry and Emily Bennington as they discuss shadow figures, how they guide our search for love, as well as the cost of carrying this burden.

In this Sunday Gathering sermon, Emily Perry draws inspiration from Frederick Douglass' powerful 1852 speech "What, to the Slave, is the Fourth of July?" to examine the gap between the high ideals of faith and the painful realities we see around us. Through stories of figures like Maximilian Kolbe, Martin Luther King Jr., and her own personal experiences, Emily explores how A Course in Miracles offers a new vision of faith—one that is not blind or hollow, but grounded in love, equality, and trust in each other's holiness. You'll learn:

• Why the Course teaches that God has perfect faith in you
• How we misplace our faith—and how to redirect it toward healing
• What it means to place faith in others and call forth their true nature
• How faith can become a living force for compassion, courage, and transformation

If you've ever struggled with the concept of faith or wondered what it truly means on the spiritual path, this message is a call to embody the world we long to see.

___________________________

Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

• You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/
  
  

• Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/
  
  

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

We have witnessed an unprecedented focus on the self for the past few decades. This focus has permeated society, mainstream spirituality, and the ACIM community.

Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington call this "the cult of self" and in this podcast episode, they explored what it is, its effects, how we can spot it, and what we can do to resist its lure.

In the old days, it was "a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." Now, we just worry that it's unsatisfying. A Course in Miracles teaches that it is neither. The Course says that at the foundation of our being we feel an irresistible attraction to God, which it calls "the pull of God."

Join Robert Perry and Emily Bennington for a lively discussion of this important but little-known teaching.

In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington discuss these questions as well as what the Course has to say about the nature of God, how He loves us, why the Course isn't strictly a nondual path, and much more.

The Circle Story Project is a collection of real-life stories that exemplify Course principles, ranging from profound experiences and unusual phenomena to more everyday inner shifts.

In this bonus episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington talk with Story Project leader Sue Pearson and editor James Gregory about how the Story Project was formed, how to make a submission, and how stories can be used to share the Course with the world. Sue and James also read one of their favorite stories from the Story Project archives, including a powerful testimony of finding the Course from a traditionally Christian background.

You can register to watch these podcast recordings for free on our events page and participate via Zoom. Go to circleofa.org/events for details. #exploringacimpodcast #acim #acourseinmiracles #circleofatonement

Katherine Woodward Thomas is the New York Times-bestselling author of Conscious Uncoupling and Calling in the One. Katherine is also a licensed marriage and family therapist and a teacher to students all around the world who want to learn about ending or beginning a significant relationship with love at the center. In this interview, Circle of Atonement Executive Director Emily Bennington interviews Katherine on the overlap between her work and A Course in Miracles.

In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Circle of Atonement founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington explore how we can celebrate Holy Week in a new way. As the Course says, "Let us not spend this holy week brooding on the crucifixion of God's Son, but happily in the celebration of his release."

You can register to watch these podcast recordings for free on our events page and participate via Zoom. Go to circleofa.org/events for details.

In this podcast episode, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington speak about what this means while also highlighting examples of where the feminine does appear in the Course.

You can register to watch these podcast recordings for free on our events page and participate via Zoom. Go to circleofa.org/events for details. #exploringacimpodcast #acim #acourseinmiracles #circleofatonement

As the Course community has become aware that far more editing was done in the Course than was previously known, the idea has grown up that all of this editing—done primarily by Helen Schucman—was guided. In other words, just as the dictation was from Jesus, the editing was too. That's a comforting idea, but we don't have to speculate about this. We can see literally thousands of editing decisions that Helen made. What story do those decisions tell us?

In this podcast episode, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington will answer the important question "Was Helen's editing guided?"

When does an emphasis on setting boundaries get in the way of the supreme value of love and forgiveness?

How would the Course advise us to enact a boundary or even to end a relationship?

In this podcast, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington share what the Course has to teach us on this very important topic.

In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Robert & Emily Perry dive into what A Course in Miracles teaches about parenting—and how those teachings have shaped their own parenting journeys. You'll learn:

• What the Course says about the true role of a parent
• Three powerful ways to get parenting right—and three common ways we go off-track
• Why children need wisdom, love, and safety to thrive
• How Course principles apply to step-parenting and spiritual parenting
• What to do if you want to share the Course with your children

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, teacher, or simply someone called to support others' growth, this episode offers deep insight and encouragement grounded in the Course's teachings.

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Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the publisher of the Complete and Annotated Edition of the Course (known as the "CE"), which is available as a paperback*, ebook*, and via Audible.

Our work grows out of our commitment to be as faithful as possible to what A Course in Miracles says,  years of dedication to walking this path ourselves, and a desire to see the Course's purpose realized in the lives of students and in the world.

• You are invited to download the free ACIM CE App to read, search, or listen to the Course wherever you are in the world, by following the instructions at https://acimce.app/
  
  

• Whether you are new to ACIM or you've been a student for many years, you are welcome to join our online community and learning platform to access a vast collection of resources designed to help you understand and apply Course teachings in everyday life: https://community.circleofa.org/
  
  

To submit a question or suggest a topic for a future podcast episode, please email info@circleofa.org.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider subscribing and leaving a review, as this will help us reach other listeners. You are also welcome to make a donation to help support our work at circleofa.org/donate.

*Amazon affiliate links

We often think of Christmas as the celebration of Jesus' birth in the world. The Course has its own take, however, one that celebrates a holy birth within all of us. In this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Circle of Atonement founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington share an encapsulation of the Course's Christmas teachings and how we can all apply them to our lives.

To listen to other Exploring A Course in Miracles podcasts, visit circleofa.org/podcast.

A Course in Miracles contains 325 references to gratitude and thanks. Circle founder Robert Perry has compiled these references, pulled out the main themes and what we are left with is a truly unique and loving approach to practicing gratitude.

In this episode of Exploring a Course in Miracles, Robert and Executive Director Emily Bennington take a closer look at these teachings that offer us practical guidance on what the Course says it really means to be grateful.

NOTE: Exploring A Course in Miracles podcasts are recorded live (typically every other Monday at 11 am Eastern) and then released on YouTube and various podcast outlets including iTunes and Spotify. Attending the live recording is free and all are invited. To receive the access link, please visit circleofa.org/events.

When it comes to spirituality, so much of the focus is on how we ourselves can benefit. Does this practice bring us peace, are we feeling healthier and more motivated, etc.

As students of A Course in Miracles, we all have personal goals we hope to achieve through this path, but have we ever stopped to consider what the Course's goals may be? Have we ever wondered whether the Course itself has a purpose to achieve in the world and how we can help it get there?

At the Circle of Atonement, we hold a vision for the Course that is based on guidance Helen Schucman received just a few months before the book was originally published. In this video, Circle founder Robert Perry and executive director Emily Bennington share this guidance as well as the Circle's plans for 2022. If you'd like to learn more about our vision for the Circle and the Course, we invite you to visit www.circleofa.org/vision.