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On at least three different occasions, Helen Schucman reported seeing dreams and visions of a black book. In one vision there was a gold cross on the cover. In another, a string of pearls was draped across the book.
When Carmen Cameron asked her guidance for a cover design for the CIMS editions of the Course, she was reminded of Helen's visions. This is how it is explained on the back of the CIMS complete Original Edition hard back dustcover:
"In the months just preceding the beginning of the dictation of A Course In Miracles, Dr. Helen Schucman experienced a series of vivid waking and sleeping dreams. In three of those dreams, she was presented with a book. It was thick and black and had large gold letters on the cover. In one of those dreams, she saw it draped in a strand of pearls. And that image had such an impact on her that it was recreated for the official documentary about the history of the Course.
"The dust jacket of this volume is in tribute to that image. And it is an homage to a deep and growing appreciation of Dr. Schucman’s perseverance and dedication to the completion of the Course.
"And, too, there is a very ancient and universal symbolism to pearls. From the earliest of times, pearls have been considered miraculous. Unique in all the world of nature, their beauty comes from the most mundane of substances and yet it is somehow transformed by a living organism into one of the most beautiful objects known to man. Pearls have become an archetypal image of what can happen to the human mind that dedicates itself to perfection, utilizing the hard knocks of daily living as a stimulus to growth.
“The Pearl of Great Price”. . .
that which is of such momentous value that you would sell all that you own to possess it.
“Pearls of Wisdom”. . .
thoughts which illuminate and simplify one’s thinking, bringing peace and clarity of mind.
“A String of Pearls”. . .
a veritable chain of wisdom and insights, spreading out and then interweaving as a string of brilliant flashes that lighten up the very dark world we see around us.
A string of pearls is thus a perfect symbol for A Course In Miracles.
Graphic design and pre-press by
Carmen Cameron & Tom Fox
Louisville, Kentucky
4 comments:
I really like that new cover! Very stylish and sounds like it is true to Helen's vision.
It also looks more contemporary.
-Chris
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The image that comes to my mind in relation to pearls and Helen and strings is one of a circle: a whole unit that cannot be broken nor separated.
My first response was: "fragmentation" when seeing this dust cover.
The image of a figure 8 using the image of a string of pearls would give both an aestethic feeling and a sense of wholenessso also presenting the fullness of the vision of Christ.
The imagie of a string of pearls as a circle could represent also the Circle of Atonement.
The visions I have received myself always have a primary geometric element of wholeness: i.e.
the One Point triangle;
the Star of Peace and Healing, please contact me if you would like to see a basic graphic representation of these thoughts.
thula.andme@yahoo.com.au
thulananda
Hi Chris,
Thanks for your comment. Those are interesting web sites you have. Before long I will include them in my ACIM Directory, if you wish.
Tom Fox
Louisville, Kentucky
Hi thulananda -
Good to see you again. We actually discussed the idea of showing a complete string of pearls, but decided that, except for Jesus, none of us see the chain of forgiveness in its entirety - just bits and pieces.
The rest is taken on faith alone.
Tom Fox
Louisville, Kentucky
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