Book Review.

This new book by Michael Dawson entitled "Healing the Cause" is the culmination of many years of spiritual searching and intensive study of the Course.
Pertinent passages from the Course are quoted and he relates to the reader experiences he has had to give us a practical perspective to the point being made. The author stresses the Course's message that everything outside our mind is magic which while it does work within the ego's framework acting as a temporary band-aid, by removing the symptoms of disease, it does nothing to heal the cause of all sickness which is our inability to forgive our brother. He makes the point that as we continue to treat the effects and not the cause, the illness will return in some form or other. The author follows the Course's gentle and understanding approach to magic by not attacking it and openly suggests that few people are so advanced that they do not need to use magic while at their present stage of growth. The important areas of forgiveness and prayer are dealt with considerable clarity aided by many clever diagrams to stress the author's point.

It is not an easy task to explain a thought system exactly opposite to that commonly accepted by the world but the author manages to cover the major Course concepts and present them in a clear understandable style. Michael Dawson has obviously researched the material well to compile this book and successfully present the Course's message in such a faithful manner. Several years ago after Michael and his wife Salice became dedicated Miracle students, they invited the Wapnicks to go over to Scotland and became avid 'Wapnickians' eventually spending time studying with Ken and Gloria in Roscoe. Michael generously acknowledges the help Ken Wapnick gave him in the final editing and that guiding hand is certainly noticeable.

To sum up: A very comprehensive book, useful as a 'starter' for people considering taking on the study of A Course in Miracles and equally to those who are already working with the material, wanting to consolidate their learning.

From "How do God's teachers deal with magic thoughts"

His first responsibility in this is not to attack it. If a magic thought arouses anger in any form, God's teacher can be sure that he is strengthening his own belief in sin and has condemned himself. T.M.. p. 42/44