Judy Skutch, early days with ACIM

This audio file is from an online chat of an unknown date and unknown source, but probably recorded within the last 5 years. In the talk, Judy Skutch tells about her early days with Helen Schucman, Bill Thetford, and Ken Wapnick.

Below are some notes I transcribed from the talk. As with so many stories and anecdotes, the whole can be found within the pieces.

Listen to "Early Days with Judy Skutch" below.
Subscribe with iTunes
Early Days with ACIM by Judy Skutch is included

May 29, 1975 was the day Judy went with Douglas Dean to meet with Bill and Helen. Judy said it was the day that changed her life. She had been teaching at NYU and busy with many projects, but she was feeling unfulfilled, lonely, and guilty. One day she "crashed" emotionally and asked, "won't someone up there please help me?"

She met Bill and Helen at the Black Building on the Columbia University campus on 166th Street in New York City. They would lunch in the faculty dining room then go up to their offices.

Bill met Judy and Douglas in the lobby and Judy spotted him even though she had not met him before. She said Bill was tall, lean, and had the look of a "trapped monk."

On the surface, the meeting was to discuss with Douglas Dean some documents that were about a new medical device that used sound as a diagnostic tool.

At that time, May, 1975, Judy was 43, Helen was 65, Bill was 51, and Ken was 33.

During the lunch, Judy abruptly turned to Helen and said, "So, you're hearing an inner voice, are you?" Helen was distraught, but Bill took her hand and suggested they go up to their offices. It was then that they told Judy about the Course and showed it to her. Ken had been there two and a half years earlier, so the Course was already in "publishable shape."

Judy had known many psychics and channelers. She asked Helen if she knew the source of the material. Helen went pale and looked away.

Helen: He says he's Jesus.
Judy: Well, is it?
Helen: Of course it is.

Judy read the introduction to the Course.

Then Judy felt that meeting Bill and Helen and finding A Course in Miracles was the answer to her prayer. "I was finally ready for my spiritual education."

Helen: No one is sent by accident to anyone.
Bill: No one is where he is by accident.

Helen and Bill knew that the Course was not for them alone. They were told that "someone would come to take it on its way." While waiting for months for Judy to show up, Helen and Bill were told, "the woman who is coming is not yet ready." After their initial meeting Helen asked why Judy was chosen and was answered, "she was ready for her spiritual education."

After that first meeting, the four of them had daily meetings at Judy's house. Helen was often truculent, fidgety, and easily distracted. Bill made puns and joked. But, when it was time to discuss the Course, they became serious and would reach out and join hands and pray.

Helen would play mother to Judy. Once, Judy had a disturbing dream that she related to Helen. In the dream, a black bowl turned purple and glistened.

Helen: Oh, Kitten, don't you see, the black bowl was your guilt. You faced it and recognized it was nothing.
Judy: A dream in the abstract. A gentle nudge from my teacher to interpret. Changing one's mind about fear. What a lesson in forgiveness that was. A shift in perception. Re-perceiving fear and watching it turn into love. It was a miracle. And miracles are natural signs of forgiveness.

Bill loved opera. He would never get tickets in advance, but liked specific seats. He would wait until he was told when to go to the ticket window and ask for tickets. He would always get the tickets for the seats he wanted. During a spring blizzard, he listened for a message on how to find transportation to an Easter dinner. He stood at the place he was told to go to and a limousine pulled up.

Judy was in a relationship - with someone we all know, by the way - and had an argument. Judy was very upset and called Bill.

Bill: There are only eight little words I have to say to you. Are you willing to see your brother sinless?
Judy: No!
Bill: Well, then, Judy, when you are, I'm sure you'll feel much better.

Helen was a bit of a hypochondriac and sometimes complained about the Voice. Bill adapted a popular Broadway play, "Call Me Madam" and renamed it "Call Me Mad" as a way of poking fun at Helen. Original lyrics by Irving Berlin. It was a duet to be performed by Helen and Bill.

"Call Me Mad"
I hear voices and there's no one there.
I hear voices but the room is bare.
You sure need analyzing,
It is not so surprising.
That you feel very mad, and still,
your heart goes pitter-patter.
I know just what's the matter.
This voice stuff is a bitter pill.

At one point they thought it might be a good idea for all of them to live together. Helen and her husband, Louie, Bill, Ken, Judy and her husband st the time, Bob. Judy spent a lot of time looking for the perfect place. Then it turned out no one really wanted to do it anyway. Judy complained.

Bill: Don't you know that Heaven is your real estate.

Coming out of a "nasty" special relationship she was going through, Judy told Helen about the experience.

Helen: Why would you need to learn that, Kitten?
Judy: Well, so I could empathize with others people who also have this experience and, since I'm going around presenting the Course, I should know something about this special relationship stuff.
Helen: Nonsense! Don't be ridiculous! The Holy Spirit teaches that sacrifice in any form is unneccesary!

A friend or client of Bill's: How do I know if I'm making progress in this Course?
Bill: It depends on how long you now hold a grievance.

Judy: They were two ordinary people to whom something extraordinary happened because they joined in looking for a better way.

Helen and Bill: We are not gurus of this Course, only its first students.

Bill was a pragmatic professor who claimed he had nothing to profess. Helen was a woman who had learned to get out the way and listen. Together they perfectly performed their function.