Change Rocked my World by Karen Van Allen

Why choose to study A Course in Miracles (ACIM) in addition to The Science of Mind (SOM)? How are these two teachings similar, and where do they differ? When I began to study Religious Science in the early ‘90’s, I was going through a difficult divorce. At that time, I played the roles that were assigned to me. I was about as emotional as a plain brown paper bag; suppression was the name of the game. As you can imagine, this was not an authentic lifestyle nor was it a healthy way to live.

Like many of you, I was motivated to find a spiritual path when the road that I was on became rocky. I found a center for spiritual living in Dallas and knew that I could embrace this teaching. Sunday morning was not enough for my growing and expanding consciousness, and it was time to begin the classwork. There was such a sense of freedom in learning who I was and what was important to me.

The next 18 years were a mixture of sadness as I let go of the past and anticipation as I explored what was next. I no longer existed in a life that wasn’t mine. Now I was fully alive, feeling my emotions, and learning the lessons that I was ready to understand. And then the deaths began.

My spiritual soulmate and best friend made his transition 20 years ago. One of my treasured memories of him is that he introduced me to ACIM. I did not embrace it at the time; I only went to study group to support him. It would be years before I stopped crying, and I asked myself if I was grateful that I had learned to express my emotions.

Three years after his death, my daughter died in childbirth. I dropped everything in my life and moved from Dallas to Northern California to help with my new granddaughter. Change rocked my world. I lost two loved ones within three years, quit my job of over six years, and left an apartment that I loved and relocated to another state. It is difficult enough to make those changes when your savings account is full, and you are initiating them to create a better life. Moving forward with limited funds and trying to process grief found me slammed against a brick wall. The only thing left for me to do was surrender. With my life out of control, I decided to see if ACIM really works.

I learned that the only thing that does not change is love, which is the essence of God. I’m still learning how to remove the blocks to the awareness of love’s presence. This is done by forgiving both myself and other people. W-pI.193.7 says, “Forgive, and you will see this differently.” That sums up ACIM in a nutshell because it teaches us that there might be another way to look at our thoughts. When I have a loving way to interpret my thoughts, that is when I can change them. It is no surprise that we have come full circle back to SOM and change your thinking, change your life.

ACIM study group meets in the Education Bldg. on Monday nights from 6:30-8:00 pm.

To find out more about ACIM, click here.