Exploring A Course in Miracles
148 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago -Exploring A Course in Miracles offers in-depth conversations on Course-related topics from Robert and Emily Perry. To learn more about Circle of Atonement offerings for your A Course in Miracles journey, including our Complete and Annotated Edition (CE) of A Course in Miracles and our Course Companions online learning community, please visit www.circleofa.org.
Homepage Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Episodes
Why We Need Teachers
July 08, 2024 16:54 - 1 hour - 139 MBIn this episode, Robert and Emily discuss the need for wise and experienced spiritual teachers and the call that some feel to be a teacher. They talk about the qualities of a teacher the Course highlights—qualities the Course calls the “deeper characteristics” of the advanced teacher of God—as well as how to cultivate them yourself and look for them in others. ___________________________ Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course i...
A Course in Miracles and Homosexuality
June 24, 2024 17:23 - 53 minutes - 125 MBMany have come upon the comments about homosexuality after miracle principle 18 in the Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles (CE) and have been turned off, thinking this is the same old prejudiced rhetoric. But what do these paragraphs really say? In this episode, Robert and Emily explore that question in detail, discussing the Course's consistent affirmation of the holiness, equality, and worth of all. In addition, they discuss the suffering caused when one's scripture says...
How to Practice A Course in Miracles (i.e. What to DO Each Day)
June 17, 2024 16:52 - 1 hour - 146 MBWhen it comes to A Course in Miracles, one thing students are always asking is, “How do I make the Course practical?” A Course in Miracles, however, is full of practical instructions. The Course aims to enclose our day in different forms of practice in order “to make the day as happy for you as God wants it to be” and even to make “the business of the day…holy.” In this episode, Robert and Emily take a brief tour through the many ways in which the Course instructs us to live its teaching. Th...
Does God Really Have a Plan?
June 03, 2024 16:50 - 1 hour - 143 MBAmidst all of life's chaos, we find ourselves hoping that someone up there has got a plan—a plan for our lives, a plan for our world. It's hard to shake this hope, even when we don't believe in God. At the same time, the notion of God's plan comes with a lot of baggage for fear of what it will ask of us. In this episode, Robert and Emily explore the concept of God's plan as it appears in A Course in Miracles. In the Course, God's plan runs all the way from the most general—what will bring ev...
Bonus - Making Relationship Work with A Course in Miracles (Sunday Gathering Sermon)
May 29, 2024 17:08 - 40 minutes - 93.9 MBWe’ve all been in relationships that start out truly harmonious and mutually supportive. You and the other person are committed to the same goals and that feeling of magic connection is there. Next thing you know, it all slowly starts to die or shatters completely. How are we routinely in this place where relationships that begin with so much potential end so poorly? While there are an infinite number of ways to approach this topic from a Course perspective, in our Sunday Gathering sermon Em...
What is Your Life Purpose?
May 20, 2024 16:55 - 1 hour - 143 MBHaven’t we all wondered if we were put on earth for a reason, to accomplish some unknown mission? Perhaps Walt Whitman was right when he said, “That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse”? This notion, however, raises so many questions: Do we even have a purpose or is life merely random? If we do have one, how do we find out what it is? How do we prepare for it? And once in it, how do we deal with practical issues like money? In this episode, Robert and Emily share the Co...
Levels of the Mind
May 13, 2024 13:09 - 57 minutes - 133 MBWhat lies beyond the conscious mind? Are there higher levels? Are there lower ones? A Course in Miracles says yes to both. It contains a fascinating, extensive picture of the mind in which the levels constantly interact with each other. Right now, they are in conflict, but the Course holds out the promise of the mind becoming an organic whole, in which all of the levels work together in harmony. In this episode, Robert and Emily describe the different levels, how they relate to each other, a...
A Course in Miracles and Nonduality: Are They the Same?
May 06, 2024 16:53 - 1 hour - 150 MBA Course in Miracles is frequently described as a "nondual" path. It's true that both the Course and nonduality teach that everything is ultimately one and separation is an illusion. However, there are significant differences as well, and those differences amount to contrasting worldviews. In this episode, Robert and Emily present a general overview the distinctions between nondual teachings and A Course in Miracles. Topics covered include fundamental differences related to "self vs. no self...
What is the Ego?
April 30, 2024 22:45 - 59 minutes - 137 MBStudents of A Course in Miracles are forever vexed by the question, What is the ego? Is it a real entity or just a belief? Should we love it or condemn it? Does it keep us safe or endanger us? Should we take it seriously or disregard it? How can we tell when it’s speaking to us? And how can we let go of it? In this episode, Robert and Emily draw upon their years on the path to speak to the whole range of questions about the ego, from the most abstract to the most practical. ___________...
What Does and Doesn't Matter According to A Course In Miracles
April 22, 2024 17:54 - 58 minutes - 136 MBEvery minute of every day we are faced with the question of what matters and what doesn't. What if we are getting it all wrong? We've been told to put the big rocks in first and not to sweat the small stuff, but what are the big rocks? And what is the small stuff? A Course in Miracles has surprising yet compelling views on this topic. In its teaching, most everything we attend to, worry about, and sweat over is firmly in the category of what doesn't matter. This doesn't mean that nothing mat...
Interview with Lorna Byrne
April 15, 2024 18:06 - 1 hour - 153 MBWe are honored to have Lorna Byrne on this episode. Lorna is an Irish mystic who is the author of the bestselling Angels in My Hair*. She is known the world over for her contact with angels, in which she physically sees them at all times. In this episode, Robert and Emily ask Lorna about angels' role in relation to our spiritual progress, free will, fallen angels, angels' help in God's plan, angels and coincidences, angels and the Holy Spirit, and more. They also ask about similarities betwe...
Rethinking Spiritual Authority
April 08, 2024 17:27 - 1 hour - 145 MBIn the spiritual field, we tend to grant enormous authority to those who claim to be directly in touch with true reality and who speak with total certainty. But should we? In this episode, Robert and Emily argue that the very nature of perception is that it’s uncertain. No one on earth really knows in the fullest sense of the word. What do we do, then, when someone steps forward and says they know with utter certainty because they are a direct conduit for ultimate reality? If you’ve ever giv...
Jesus in A Course In Miracles (Course Preview)
April 01, 2024 18:42 - 58 minutes - 135 MBWe often keep the subject of Jesus at arm's length due to the baggage that so many of us carry around him. Yet we would benefit by letting go of this baggage, by forgiving Jesus for the fearful images we put on him. This will allow him to help us in all the ways that he is offering to do. He wants to be our teacher. He wants to be our personal guide. And he wants to work through us to carry out his mission in the world. He is already with us, trying to help, yet he says, "you would imprison ...
Is the Shroud of Turin Proof of Jesus' Resurrection?: An Interview with Joe Marino
March 25, 2024 19:25 - 45 minutes - 106 MBIf the Shroud of Turin is authentic, then it is by far the most direct evidence we have of the historical Jesus. It is a burial cloth that, if genuine, is stained with his blood and contains an image apparently projected from his body. But is it authentic? In this episode, Robert and Emily interview Joe Marino, one of the leading authorities on the Shroud in the world. A Course in Miracles says that the resurrection was "the final demonstration" that all of the other lessons which Jesus taug...
Are NDEs for Real?
March 18, 2024 18:27 - 1 hour - 141 MBJoin Circle founder Robert Perry and Jan Holden, President of the International Association for Near Death Studies (IANDS), as they explore the profound realm of near-death experiences (NDEs). Through expert insights and firsthand accounts, Robert and Jan discuss common traits of NDEs, what NDEs can tell us about life after death, what happens after an NDE, why some people who experience NDEs are "sent back," and so much more. Tune in for an enlightening exploration of life, death, and what ...
New Allyship and the Principle of Love: An Interview with Holiday Phillips
March 04, 2024 18:02 - 57 minutes - 131 MBIn 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, coach and organizational development expert Holiday Phillips had a post on performative allyship go viral. Her followers jumped from 1,000 to more than 50,000 overnight, and suddenly Holiday found herself as a voice for social justice during the rise of Black Lives Matter. Now, with a sizable audience and "influencer" status, Holiday discovered that her message of love and compassion as a way through righteous anger and division has been a more comp...
Why Did Jesus Die?
February 26, 2024 18:06 - 55 minutes - 128 MBThe crucifixion is the main event in Christianity. Christians generally view Jesus' death as a payment for our sins so that God will forgive us and we can go to Heaven. Increasingly, however, this is leading to a "crisis of faith" where many who sincerely love Jesus can't reconcile him with a God who enacts revenge and violence. How could a loving God murder His own Son? Not surprisingly, A Course in Miracles has an entirely different view of Jesus' crucifixion. Indeed, rather than seeing th...
How a Healthy Mind Functions (A Course in Miracles Sunday Gathering Sermon)
February 19, 2024 17:52 - 33 minutes - 78.3 MBIn this message from our recent Sunday Gathering, Circle executive director Emily Perry discusses how we often use the considerable power of our mind to protect our ego (meaning our illusions, our sense of separation, our specialness, and our superiority) - when we should be using the power of our mind to defend our oneness, our shared holiness, and our equality instead. Sunday Gatherings are free and open to all and take place on the 2nd & 4th Sunday of each month! Join through our free c...
How We Save Each Other (Workshop Preview)
February 12, 2024 18:28 - 53 minutes - 124 MBA Course in Miracles teaches that each one of us is here to be a savior. This is not about having a “savior complex." This is a healthy and fulfilling understanding of our true purpose on earth. But how does the Course define this term? What does it mean when it says we are each other’s savior? And how does the Course’s view differ from trying to “rescue” or “fix” someone? In this episode, Robert and Emily Perry discuss the teachings on “savior” in A Course in Miracles as a preview for their...
What We've Learned About Forgiveness
February 05, 2024 18:19 - 1 hour - 139 MBForgiveness is part of the human experience and is the Course’s central teaching. But students are often confused about how to understand forgiveness and how to practice it. We at the Circle just finished a 28-Day Forgiveness Challenge, where we thoroughly explored the teaching and did the practice. We came away with such rich learning from these four weeks, both personally and from the group experience. In this podcast, Robert and Emily share many of the lessons that came out of this unforg...
Attack is a Call for Love
January 23, 2024 17:06 - 53 minutes - 124 MB"Attack is a call for love" is a well-known concept among students of A Course in Miracles. That said, what we tend to think it means is that we attack, but we weren't trying to do any harm - we were just looking for love and it came out the wrong way. In the Course, however, "attack is a call for love" doesn't mean "we attack because we're just looking for love" - it means something very different but truly sublime. In this discussion, Robert and Emily Perry clear up the confusion on this i...
Martin Luther King and A Course in Miracles
January 15, 2024 17:47 - 35 minutes - 81.8 MBIn this message from our January 14, 2024 Sunday Gathering service, Emily Perry discusses the striking connection between the teaching of Dr. Martin Luther King and A Course in Miracles, and the relevance of this wisdom for our time. Sunday Gatherings are free and open to all! Join through our free community at community.circleofa.org. ___________________________ Since 1993, our purpose has been to help with both the theory and practical application of A Course in Miracles. We are the ...
The Boundary that Helen Set Herself
January 08, 2024 18:00 - 48 minutes - 113 MBIt can be a dilemma: You need to set a boundary with someone, and yet you don’t want to be unloving. Helen Schucman, the scribe of A Course in Miracles, faced this very situation. A man she had counseled had developed feelings for her, and now she faced the quandary of what to do. She first received guidance and then wrote him a long letter, a letter which appears to have been inspired from a higher source. In this podcast, Robert and Emily will reveal the ingenious solution that Helen opted...
Make This Year Different
January 01, 2024 17:30 - 1 hour - 153 MBA Course in Miracles teaches that time is unreal, yet it also speaks of giving a “year” to God. The Text refers to the New Year 11 times, saying, “This is the year for the application of the ideas that have been given you” [CE T-16.II.10:4]. And the Workbook refers to its year 6 times, calling it “the year that we have given God” [CE W-PtII.In.4:3]. In this episode, Robert and Emily will explore both the Text’s and the Workbook’s vision of a year given to God. How do we do that? Are we suppo...
Freedom from the Past
December 18, 2023 17:03 - 1 hour - 143 MBIt's impossible to overstate how completely chained to the past we are - and the damage this does to our mental health, to our relationships, and to our world. There are many different modalities we use to release ourselves from the past; however, A Course in Miracles offers its own way through that Robert and Emily will share in this episode. If you are someone who feels bound by the past, if you can't seem to let go of things that have happened to you, if you wonder why you really want to ...
Releasing Old Baggage for the New Year: How to Finally Forgive with A Course in Miracles
December 11, 2023 17:49 - 1 hour - 146 MBA Course in Miracles reminds us that forgiveness is a cornerstone for personal and spiritual growth. When we forgive, we release ourselves from anger and bitterness, remember the inherent holiness and worth of all beings, and unleash our natural impulse to love. In this bonus webinar replay, Robert and Emily Perry explore the fundamental principles of A Course in Miracles' approach to "miraculous forgiveness" and help you understand and apply its wisdom to your own life. They also highlight ...
What Keeps Us Safe in an Unsafe World?
December 04, 2023 19:30 - 57 minutes - 132 MBSafety is a central issue for all of us. It’s remarkable how much of our time and energy goes into keeping ourselves safe. The problem, according to A Course in Miracles, is that our attempts to make ourselves safe backfire. The Course describes a process whereby ordinary, “innocent” self-defense ends up causing us to expect attack—and thereby feel unsafe. And it lays out a way to safety that would never occur to us and that we have most likely never heard, yet that makes a great deal of sen...
From Scarcity to Abundance
December 04, 2023 18:48 - 59 minutes - 137 MBIn this episode, Robert and Emily Perry explore the profound shift from scarcity to abundance as viewed through the lens of A Course in Miracles. They begin with the conventional understanding of a “scarcity mindset”—that there is not enough to go around—and then contrast that with the Course’s very different view of the “scarcity fallacy.” That fallacy is the belief that we are fundamentally lacking, and this results in an endless quest to fill the inner void, in many, many ways. But we jus...
A Course in Miracles' Vision for Its Future
November 20, 2023 18:30 - 1 hour - 152 MBIn this episode, Robert and Emily discuss the “helper of the world” guidance that Helen Schucman, the scribe of A Course In Miracles, received on December 31, 1975. This guidance is important because precious little of what Helen took down concerned the issue of the Course’s mission and future in the world. This guidance offers its own vision for the Course - straight from the author - and this vision, it’s safe to say, challenges virtually everyone’s view of the Course’s life in the world. ...
What A Course in Miracles Says About Karma
November 13, 2023 18:00 - 56 minutes - 130 MBKarma is, to put it simply, the connection between actions and their consequences. From a spiritual perspective, karmic actions are associated with our current life, but karma has also been tied to past lives and reincarnation. In other words, things that happen in our current life are influenced by past lives that we’re not even aware of. The Complete and Annotated Edition of A Course in Miracles references “karma” or “karmic” six times and has a section of the Text called “The Question of ...
How to Talk about A Course In Miracles with Friends and Family
November 06, 2023 17:45 - 1 hour - 161 MBHave you ever been asked about A Course in Miracles by a friend or family member and been completely tied up in knots trying to explain it? In this episode, Robert and Emily talk about how to share the Course without being embarrassed or overly evangelical, and how to respond to concerns from friends and family members who are anti-Course (because they think it’s dangerous, culty, or heretical) and, also, how to respond to concerns from those who are open to learning more about the Course bu...
What Is A Holy Encounter?
October 23, 2023 16:34 - 41 minutes - 97.2 MBWhat are holy encounters? Why did we choose them as the topic of our first in-person event in five years? And how can they open up a new dimension in your life and your spiritual development? In this episode, Robert and Emily preview this little-known topic, talking about why it's so overlooked and why, surprisingly, it sits at the center of the Course's path. This topic will be more extensively explored in the weekend-long "Holy Encounters" workshop, which is the main feature of the Circle'...
The Introduction to A Course in Miracles
October 09, 2023 17:09 - 52 minutes - 120 MBThe Introduction to A Course in Miracles is only two paragraphs and yet it perfectly sets the stage for all that follows. There is a beauty and wisdom to it that has enchanted seekers since the Course was originally published. But what does it actually mean? Why do students find it so captivating and what can it tell us about the path we're embarking on? In this podcast, Robert and Emily will go through the Course's Introduction in a way that is designed for new and seasoned students alike. ...
Breaking Free From the Authority Problem
October 02, 2023 16:22 - 58 minutes - 135 MBAre you someone who grates at being told what to do? We're all like this to some degree and, if we have a problem with human authorities, how much more will we have a problem with God's authority! For by creating us, God essentially told us what we ARE, which is far more basic than telling us what to do. As an attempted solution, we often push God to the margins. And this makes a certain sense: no authority, no problem. But A Course in Miracles sees a more complete solution, one which lies i...
Rare Audio of Helen Schucman on Scribing A Course in Miracles
September 18, 2023 16:41 - 1 hour - 153 MBIn this episode, Robert and Emily play the one recorded interview of Helen Schucman that we have. In this priceless archival recording, Helen is asked in detail about the process of hearing “the Voice” that dictated to her A Course in Miracles. And she answers with a clear attempt to describe exactly what she experienced, choosing her words carefully and making fine distinctions between what the Voice was and wasn’t like. It’s a real treat to hear Helen’s own voice here. Her personality come...
Interview With Marianne Williamson On Her Presidential Campaign
September 11, 2023 16:53 - 43 minutes - 101 MBRegardless of your political views, the fact that arguably the most well-known teacher of A Course in Miracles is running for president of the United States is big news. In this interview, Emily and Robert Perry talk with Marianne Williamson about the state of her presidential campaign, how her Course practice has helped her in the race, how she has faced marginalization and backlash, her response to the Course’s original approval of the Four Freedoms from Franklin Roosevelt, and more. ___...
What To Do When God Calls
September 04, 2023 16:48 - 1 hour - 139 MBWhen God calls, what do you do? In this special episode, we shed light on this age-old question through the story of Emily’s own journey. We follow her from corporate girl to entrepreneur teaching mindful leadership and women’s leadership, to A Course in Miracles author, to executive director of one of the oldest Course organizations. As Robert interviews her, we see Emily’s career riding the wave of the popularity of mindfulness until God suddenly seems to call her in a dramatic and persist...
How To Transcend Grief and Loss
August 21, 2023 19:22 - 58 minutes - 134 MBAll of us cope with grief and loss. We can’t just try to sweep it under the rug. We need to face the reality of the loss. Or do we? A Course in Miracles has a very different approach to grief than the conventional one. It’s not denial, but it does bring to bear a different view of what is real. If you have wondered how to deal with your own grief, join Robert and Emily for a wide-ranging conversation that covers stories of bereavement, the nature of death, near-death experiences, after-dea...
How to Heal Others
August 14, 2023 16:32 - 58 minutes - 135 MBWhen you first pick up A Course in Miracles, you may think, “Oh, this book is supposed to teach me how to do miracles,” and probably assume that means miracles of healing. Students and teachers quickly disabuse you of such notions, but what if your initial thoughts were right? The fact is that extending healing to others is a major focus in the pages of the Course. It is discussed in many sections in the Text and the Manual for Teachers and is the focus of a chapter in The Song of Prayer sup...
Did We Get Jesus All Wrong?
August 07, 2023 16:35 - 1 hour - 140 MBWe have all been influenced by Jesus to some degree, and yet that influence hasn’t always been benign. But what if history has gotten Jesus wrong? There has been a long tradition of scholarship investigating who the historical Jesus really was. Does it confirm what Christianity has said about him, or does it suggest that he was a very different figure than we learn about in church? Join Robert and Emily as they dive into historical Jesus scholarship (that is completely independent of A Cours...
What is the Soul?
July 31, 2023 17:33 - 55 minutes - 128 MB“Soul” has become a controversial word among students of A Course in Miracles. The word was there in the original dictation but was almost entirely edited out by the time the Course was published in 1976. Indeed, it was even mostly edited out in the Complete and Annotated Edition. What’s going on here? In this podcast, Robert and Emily answer a variety of questions about the soul: What is it? Why are we so attached to the word? Why was “soul” largely edited out? Are there passages that speak...
Mrs. Albert, Miracle Worker
July 24, 2023 16:45 - 55 minutes - 128 MBA fascinating figure crops up in the early dictation of A Course in Miracles: Mrs. Albert. In those early days, Course scribes Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford were being schooled in how to be miracle workers. In the middle of that process, they were told, “Look carefully at Mrs. Albert. She is working miracles every day because she knows who she is.” In this podcast, Robert and Emily do exactly that—they look carefully at Mrs. Albert. If she was working miracles every day, what can we learn...
How to Have the Ideal Spiritual Day
July 10, 2023 03:22 - 1 hour - 146 MBWe all have the dream of having the ideal spiritual day, but how do we have it? There is a beloved section in A Course in Miracles that gives us a step-by-step answer to this very question. The section is called “Rules for Decision,” and it outlines what it calls “the rules which promise you a happy day.” It tells you exactly what to do in the morning, throughout the day, and whenever you hit a snag. The resulting day is completely doable, and when you actually apply the process as outlined,...
How Do We Forgive Ourselves?
July 03, 2023 00:23 - 1 hour - 139 MBStudents of A Course in Miracles typically recognize that the Course’s main teaching is forgiveness. Yet many often assume that this is about forgiving ourselves. Even if we forgive others, don’t we need to forgive ourselves first? Robert and Emily talk about this question in this episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles. Is the Course talking mainly about forgiving other people or forgiving ourselves? What is the relation between them? And which one comes first? If you want to learn more a...
Bonus: Interview with Danielle LaPorte
June 19, 2023 16:47 - 51 minutes - 118 MBDanielle LaPorte is a bestselling author, speaker, and creator of the Heart Centered Leaders Program. Danielle was chosen as a member of Oprah's Super Soul 100, and her podcast "Love, Danielle" is often one of iTunes' Top 10 for wellness. In this interview, Danielle and Emily talk about Danielle's latest book, How to Be Loving, and why Emily considers it a "brave" publication. They also discuss how Danielle's dark night of the soul led to a breakthrough in her message, how A Course in Miracl...
What is a Miracle?
June 05, 2023 17:19 - 1 hour - 142 MBWe all know the title. A Course in Miracles. That tells us this is an educational course designed to teach us to experience or give "miracles." What the Course means by miracles, then, is central since it's the key issue in determining what this course is all about. In our latest episode of Exploring A Course in Miracles, Robert Perry and Emily Bennington Perry discuss the definition of a miracle, misperceptions of what a miracle is, and how to be miracle-workers in our every day. #spiritu...
How to Seek and Discern Guidance: Part 2
May 29, 2023 16:34 - 57 minutes - 133 MBPart 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 ...
How to Seek and Discern Guidance: Part 1
May 22, 2023 15:37 - 1 hour - 144 MBAsking 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. I...
The Formula for Physical Health According to A Course in Miracles
May 08, 2023 15:46 - 56 minutes - 137 MBThere 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 n...
Interview with Foundation for Inner Peace President Tam Morgan (Part 2)
May 02, 2023 12:58 - 56 minutes - 130 MBIn 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 t...