A Course in Miracles (ACIM) outlines six stages in the development of trust. These stages are a series of transitions that move us from relying on the ego’s offerings to letting go completely and allowing our real life experiences to be divinely guided.
Gloria Wapnick is a clinical psychotherapist and has been teaching ACIM since 1977. She and her husband Kenneth Wapnick cofounded the Foundation for A Course in Miracles in 1982.
Aims
The primary objectives of acim development of trust are to: 1. Wake up from false identity; 2. See Reality/Creation more clearly; and 3. Serve and participate in and as Creation itself.
The development of trust is the most important element in spiritual practice, and it has been a vital goal of ACIM for thousands of years. Jon Mundy explains that it is the key to experiencing the full benefits of acim, which are: honesty, tolerance, gentleness, joy, generosity, patience, and more.
Those who are on the path of genuine spirituality committed to fully waking will struggle and get lost, but it is a necessary part of the process! They will have to struggle with the ego’s demands for power, and with what they believe is the right way of doing things. They will have to make many mistakes, and sometimes they will be wrong. They will have to experience many dilemmas that they couldn’t have imagined before they started their journey.
The acim teachings are intended to reach down into the labyrinth of where the student is, and provide ways and means for them to enter. The wise teacher speaks the language of the student first, then leads them beyond their limitations and imprisoning beliefs.
Methods
The development of trust is a fundamental principle in ACIM. This metaphysical principle is reminiscent of the idea that the ego can be demolished by shifting one’s perception from “what is” to “what will be.”
In this context, the development of trust is similar to the process of transforming your ego into the spirit, which Bill Thetford calls “the Christian Vedanta.” It involves the process of undoing your own way of thinking, based on the belief that the world is real and that your life is controlled by the material mind. This can be a daunting task for many people, especially when they are stuck in their own ego-based beliefs.
Kenneth and Gloria Wapnick founded the Foundation for A Course in Miracles (FACIM), a study and re-treat center, in Crompond, New York, to facilitate their teaching work. They also founded the Institute for Teaching Inner Peace through A Course in Miracles, an educational corporation. In this way, they have been able to help countless students experience the acim that is most relevant to their lives.
Results
A Course in Miracles (ACIM) – the self-study spiritual-thought system that teaches the way to love and forgiveness – has captivated and captured the minds of millions of people. Its powerful message delivers inner peace where fear and pain once reigned. Yet many students find that learning the principles and keeping up with lessons can be difficult. This book is designed to make the big-picture ideas of ACIM easy for readers of all backgrounds, offering practical, healing results through an engaging mix of entertaining examples, stories and real-life applications. It is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn the secrets of this life-changing teaching.
Conclusions
The acim development of trust is an ode to the process of shifting our belief system from ego-centricity to total trust in the offerings of Jesus and the Holy Spirit. This process is not a linear or progressive one, and it is an unwinding experience that always brings the same result. It’s not a science experiment, nor is it a scholarly pursuit; it is simply an experience of the Course that we all can participate in.