Ian Patrick

Ian Patrick

IAN PATRICK worked as a geologist in the oil industry for nearly 20
years. He has been a student/teacher of A Course in Miracles since
1991. An inspiration to many, he founded the Miracle Network and
began writing insightful articles for its magazine ‘Miracle Worker’ in
1994 and is currently the charity’s Manager/Coordinator. He has spoken
about the Course on radio, TV and at international conferences.
He has been facilitating ACIM workshops internationally since 1998
and teaches from knowledge and experience with incisiveness, clarity,
vision and humour.

He says: “I was turned off religion as a child. I didn’t ‘get’ it and,
somehow, I felt the message of Christianity was ‘not quite right.’ As a
very young child, I had some very profound ideas about life, God and
the nature of existence — things I heard nowhere else (until I found A
Course in Miracles) but, nevertheless, felt were true.

“Studying geology at school and university, I gradually forgot about
this and adopted a more deterministic view of life. If you had asked me
in my 20s about God, I would have said that I was an atheist. I was ‘successful,’
with a career in the oil industry, money, property, opportunities
to travel and an active social life, but I still felt something was missing.
My life seemed rather pointless, directionless, flat and empty. At one
point, I was expressing this dissatisfaction to a friend and he told me
about ‘a course’ someone had recommended. I knew nothing about it,
but was desperate enough to sign up. Some people I met there, eventually,
led me to A Course in Miracles.

“The Course was a coming home for me. Once I discovered that the
Course’s Christian terminology had psychological, rather than religious,
meaning, I had one of many ‘light bulb’ moments. It brought a recognition
of what, deep down, I always knew to be true and brought new
purpose, meaning and perspective to my life. It is not that life is necessarily
always easy now, but it is better — or, perhaps, it is not that it is
better now, but it is easier! Whatever happens, whatever challenges I
appear to face, there is a context for it, which is profoundly reassuring.
My life is richer and my experience deeper. My relationships are easier,
more fulfilling and intimate. I know that I am on a path, a journey without
distance to a goal that has never changed.

“I felt I was ‘led’ to set up the Miracle Network and to it becoming
my full-time job. Certainly, it was never my conscious choice. I always,
simply, took the next step and that is where I ended up!! Since
the Course has become my work, I cannot escape so easily into old, ego
patterns. I am being constantly reminded of the principles and that I
have another choice. I know that there is no going back now, that I will
continue my work and that I will complete the curriculum and reach the
goal the Course promises.

“I think the greatest single gift the Course has brought me is an understanding
and an experience of what true forgiveness is and how forgiveness
not only helps transform difficult situations and relationships,
but how it actually heals my own mind of its guilt, negative beliefs and
negative self-concepts. Forgiveness truly is the Course’s tool and, therefore,
my tool for transformation. I cannot, now, imagine life without this
or without A Course in Miracles.”

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