miracle

 

miracle 

Conventional: A divine healing of the physical world or body, in which the normal earthly laws of sickness and death are momentarily suspended, the Spirit enters, and brings instantaneous healing in ways considered impossible.

ACIM: A divine healing of human perception, in which the normal “laws” of egoic thinking (based on guilt, fear, sickness and death) are momentarily suspended. This is carried out by the Holy Spirit, Who shifts our perception from false to true and thereby grants us unconditional, instantaneous, and free deliverance from the imprisoning (yet illusory) problems of this world, regardless of their seeming size or gravity (see no order of difficulty in miracles). Contrary to our thinking, miracles are truly natural (see T-1.I.6). They are the opposite of magic, where we try to use an unnatural power (something apart from God’s Will) to save us by rearranging illusions (rather than awakening the mind to truth). Miracles are the means for achieving the goal of the Course. They bring us to the remembrance of Heaven, where they become functionless.

  1. The Holy Spirit will heal our own perception whenever we give Him permission, which we do by suspending our wrong thinking and desiring right thinking (see little willingness, a).
  2. The primary usage is the act of the Holy Spirit extending through our mind to heal the mind of another. This occurs when we are at least momentarily in a state of right-mindedness, when we see a brother free of the past, guiltless (see accepting the Atonement for oneself). This can result in the healing of his body, and the transcending of all physical laws (see T-12.VII.3:3)—though this is a symptom of the miracle, rather than its goal. This will also heal our own mind. Miracles can have unrecognized effects, and in fact affect the entire Sonship. However, we should actively give them only where guided to by the Holy Spirit. Ideally, they should be involuntary—activated through us by the Spirit.
  3. A minor usage is God’s creation of His Son (see T-13.VIII.6:5). See extension, forgiveness, function, healing, and holy instant.

See T-1.I.