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Humility
Versus Arrogance Part 5 - Conclusion
By Kenneth Wapnick, Ph.D.
From The
Message of A Course in Miracles, Introduction to Volume 2 which
is entitled
Few Choose to Listen, copyright 1997 by
the Foundation for A Course in
Miracles®
As with any great
spiritual text, A Course in Miracles can be understood on many different
levels. It has been said of the Hindu spiritual gem the Bhagavad Gita
that while its message is for all, peoples' understanding will be equal
to their varying stages of spiritual development. One could say the same
about A Course in Miracles, and so regardless of where students
are on their spiritual journey, they will find something of value in its
pages. And as they grow spiritually, so will the treasures of the Course
increasingly open up for them.
Therefore, students
may work with A Course in Miracles in any way they choose, and at
any level on which they feel comfortable, as they feel guided by the Holy
Spirit. And their understanding and the benefit they derive from their
study is that study's own justification. However, it would be a mistake
for them then to conclude, again like the blind men with the elephant,
that their level of understanding constituted the reality or truth of the
Course. Once that occurs, we have seen the crossing of the line from humility
to arrogance. As their capacity to understand would expand, these students
would then be able to take in more and more of the Course's richness. But
if they think that the water held in their little cup is the ocean, then
they will never learn of the ocean's vastness and real nature. Similarly,
with A Course in Miracles, if students believe their limited understanding
is the Course, then their learning will be stunted and their learning potential
limited. It is to help free students of that littleness at the expense
of their true magnitude that is, in the final analysis, this book's goal.
Few
Choose to Listen is divided into chapters that reflect the different
kinds of errors students are prone to make. We begin with a discussion
of the three books of A Course in Miracles themselves, and how each
is an important part of the integrated curriculum. This includes a consideration
as well of the two supplements that were scribed after the Course -- Psychotherapy:
Purpose, Process and Practice and The Song of Prayer --
and their relationship with A Course in Miracles. This chapter is
followed in turn by discussions of the Course's use of language, the roles
of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, including the important distinction between
form and content, the relevance or irrelevance of groups on A Course
in Miracles, with specific reference to students joining together in
networks, communities, churches, etc., and finally a discussion of making
the error real and the dangers of minimizing the ego. One final note: It
has probably already been apparent from this Introduction that there is
some overlap between All
Are Called and Few Choose to Listen. This is inevitable,
as discussion of students' misunderstandings of A Course in Miracles often
necessitates some treatment of what it does say. Thus, some important common
themes end up being discussed in both books, and some passages from the
Course presented in both places as well.
DISCUSSION
CONCLUDED - CLICK TO RETURN TO PART 1
GO
TO CONCLUSION OF Few Choose To Listen
("Respecting
the Magnitude of ACIM")
RETURN
TO INDEX OF LINKS TO WRITINGS OF KEN WAPNICK
________________________________________________________
From The
Message of A Course in Miracles, Vol.2 Few Choose To Listen,
pp.10-11, by Kenneth Wapnick,
copyright 1997 by the Foundation
for A Course in Miracles®. Reproduced here with permission.
A
Course in Miracles® is a registered service mark and trademark
of the
Foundation
for A Course in Miracles®. The Course is copyrighted
by the
Foundation and portions herein
are reproduced with permission.
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