There is a lot of confusion and misinformation about the urtext. In fact, the course has been extensively edited and re-edited multiple times to become the official version published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.
The urtext represents an early draft of the course, dictated by Jesus and scribed by Helen Schucman and Bill Thetford. It is a much less heavily edited version than the official edition, and includes over 60,000 extra words.
Introduction
The urtext, or original text, of A Course in Miracles originated with Helen Schucman's shorthand notes. These were taken down in notebooks between 1965 and 1978, and typed by Helen's colleague Bill Thetford. The urtext is the oldest of the seven canonical volumes of A Course in Miracles available in print.
It differs from the standard Course in several important ways. First, it abounds in specifics. This can make it easier to understand a concept or phrase that may be difficult to grasp in the standard Course, which is more abstract and general in nature.
Second, it has some personal messages that Helen wrote to her husband Bill. These were intended to be for him and Helen alone, but some of them became part of the published Course.
Third, it contains a lot of material that was re-written and changed after the first printing of the First Edition. These re-writings and changes were made in an effort to improve the clarity of the text. This editing went on for years.
For example, in the first chapters of the First Edition, more than 30,000 words were removed and/or rewritten. This was done mainly to clarify the text, and to remove various "human influences" (such as re-writings by others).
These re-writings were not proofread or checked before they were used in the Course, so they contain a large number of errors that went unnoticed. These errors were corrected and re-checked in the Second Edition.
Another important difference is that the urtext is full of references to the Bible. While this might seem strange to some, it is actually quite helpful in understanding the meaning of a biblical phrase or passage.
In addition, it provides a much more comprehensive account of the history of A Course in Miracles. In fact, it is a very useful guide for anyone interested in learning more about the spiritual origins of this great teaching.
The urtext also has a much more extensive collection of "personal messages" than the published Course, which were not intended for Helen and Bill but were too powerful to be left out. These are reflected in some of the extra headers that define "miracle principles."
Principles of the Course
There are a number of principles that make up the Course’s teaching. These include the principle of forgiveness, which makes the ego and Holy Spirit accountable to one another; the principle of miracles, which corrects erroneous perception and opens the mind to reality contact at all levels; and the principle of Atonement, which heals the doer’s perception.
Among the most important of these principles is the idea that the course is written by the mind, for the mind. This concept was very important to Helen, and she wrote it down many times in her scribing sessions with Jesus. She had a very logical mind, and she was fiercely devoted to the King James version of the Bible. She had also read a lot of Edgar Cayce’s material, which is reflected in the Course in many ways, including the way it develops its thought system.
In the early scribing, Jesus told Helen that her notes were much more personal than usual, but that what she had written would benefit others more than herself. He also told her that if she was writing about something that was so private that no one could be benefited from it, then to remove it from the scribing. This was a good rule for Helen to follow.
This rule also has an exception: if the thing you are writing down is very personal, and it can be used by other miracle workers, then you should include it in the scribing. In any case, the fact that Jesus had such a strong sense of what would be helpful and what would not is a very clear indication of his intention.
The scribing itself was very informal, and it was largely a conversation between Jesus and Helen, as if they were sitting together on her couch. It was very much as if they were having a conversation about something that they had to get off their chests.
There are a number of problems with the editing of this text, however. First, the urtext does not have chapter and section titles; these were added in later edits by Bill and Helen. These have now been removed. In addition, topics continue past the end of a paragraph or a series of lines in some chapters and sections. This is confusing to new students. Fortunately, most of this has been corrected in the later editions.
Teachings of the Course
The teachings of A Course in Miracles are based on the belief that one's thoughts form the basis of reality. This is a belief that is compatible with Platonic philosophy, which views truth as a nonmaterial entity that can be seen through spiritual vision.
A Course in Miracles is a profound work, combining intellectual sophistication with psychological understanding of such phenomena as belief and defense systems, perception and identity. It also provides a practical approach to living that is accessible and effective to everyone.
Many people have compared the course with such great works as the Bible and Shakespeare, and the Course often uses blank verse (unrhymed poetry) and iambic pentameter, the form of poetry that is often found in Shakespeare's plays. However, the content of A Course in Miracles is distinctly different from these literary classics.
Nevertheless, the language of A Course in Miracles is rich and deep. It combines a spiritual inspiration with an understanding of psychological processes that are familiar to students of psychology and theology.
For example, many of the lessons in the text address such psychologically complex issues as the relationship between mind and consciousness, the role of sex, homosexuality, and relationship ships. These subjects are of interest to anyone interested in learning more about the human psyche.
While the language of A Course in Miracles is certainly sophisticated, it is not difficult to read and understand, as long as you don't let your own biases interfere. This is especially true when it comes to the early chapters, which are the most controversial.
There are some passages in the original manuscript (the Urtext) that seem to contradict the later Course teaching, and these should be viewed with suspicion. These early passages were written in a time when Helen was still very influenced by the psychic Edgar Cayce, and she wrote down his ideas as well as her own.
These early references to the creation of the world should be considered as suspect because they came before the later Course comments on the fact that the world was not created by God. This, in turn, conflicts with the idea that a worldwide distribution of A Course in Miracles will save the world.
Questions and Answers
The course instructors of a Course in Miracles provide answers to a variety of questions related to the material. These questions vary in nature and can range from simple to complex. The course instructors have different areas of expertise that they can draw on to help answer these questions.
The question that is most often asked of the course instructors is whether a person can hear the Holy Spirit’s voice. The answer to this question is that a person cannot necessarily hear the Holy Spirit’s voice, but that they can still communicate with God in another way.
Some people have found the answer to this question by using a technique that is specific to them and their personal circumstances. Others have found the answer to this question by simply recognizing that they can hear the Holy Spirit’s voice in their own lives.
Generally, the answer to the question of whether a person can hear the Holy Spirit’s Voice is that a person can hear it but only if they are willing to put in the effort. This is because the Holy Spirit’s voice can only be heard when we are not enmeshed in a negative or debilitating situation.
Many students are also asking about how they can go about hearing the Holy Spirit’s Voice. The answers to this question may include techniques such as meditation, visualization, or prayer.
One of the most common questions in a Course in Miracles is “How do you hear the Holy Spirit’s voice?” The answer to this question is that a course instructor has the ability to hear the Holy Spirit’s voice, but they must be willing to listen to it. This is a skill that the course instructors have to develop and learn in order to be effective at providing their students with the answers to their questions.
The course instructors of a Course in Miracles are responsible for guiding their students through the principles and teachings of the course. They also have a responsibility to ensure that their students are meeting the requirements of the course. The course instructors can do this by implementing various strategies to keep the course running smoothly. These strategies can include providing students with early and frequent feedback on their work, using a wide range of assessment tools, and working with students to ensure they are successful in the course.