This article begins a series on what A Course in Miracles (ACIM) means when it speaks of the "miracle" and the "mind." While most students can cite definitions from the Course, understanding the non-dualistic meaning within the experience of dualism takes time to learn and apply. It is only with the gentle guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can accomplish this unlearning-learning process. Correction is only in the mind of the perceiver and not through forms as true choice is between listening two voices: God or the ego. Claims to be of a "miracle mind" is really the ego, forgiveness-to-destroy and spiritual specialness. The ego speaks first and the loudest. Love is quiet; and love is expressed in this world through right-minded forgiveness.

Spiritual specialness is from the unconscious arrogance of the ego wrong mind which believes it is in competition with God. Since we're all the same, we're actually competing with everyone all the time until we learn this lesson. All conflict arises from the idea of competition. Spiritual specialness makes some relationships holy and others not because the ego's agenda is that we don't remember that the purpose given anything is in the mind from choosing with God or the ego. To take back our decision making ability is the un curso de milagros of the Course.

The ego's voice, which we mistakenly believe is the Holy Spirit, contains no humility nor dependence on God. Rather, it is the voice for being self-created, i.e., the authority problem. All of us have confusion regarding the author of our existence (ego or God) and the difference between form (illusion) and content (mind where correction take place). To be miracle-minded, we cannot be in conflict on any level for the right-mind itself is conflict-free. There is a difference between right-miracle-minded and the miracle mind of the ego.

We have no honesty when we use spiritual specialness as we are saying we're more holy, more chosen by God than another. This is a defense against the opposite and we will be discussing this subject in greater depth in subsequent article. Being more chosen is the antithesis of the Course's message.

To continue this discussion, let's begin with some word symbol definitions. We will look at both the ego definition and the Course's definition. Only the ego is fully definable because it is limitation itself. Perceived lack through projected forms (illusions) leads directly to spiritual specialness.