A Course in Miracles has sold over 3 million copies in 27 languages (Foundation for Inner Peace), and some of its most passionate students happen to be famous. Not because fame makes you spiritual, but because even people who “have it all” eventually realize that external success doesn’t equal inner peace. That’s when the Course tends to find you.
I know this firsthand. Before I found ACIM, I was hosting WWE shows in front of 20,000 people. The ego had everything it wanted. And I was miserable. So when I see celebrities talking about the Course, I don’t think “how cool.” I think “they hit the same wall I did.” And they found the same way through.
Here are the public figures who have genuinely embraced A Course in Miracles, with verified sources for every claim. No fabricated quotes. No assumptions. Just the facts.
Key Takeaways
- Marianne Williamson brought ACIM to mainstream audiences through Oprah in 1992, selling over 3 million copies of “A Return to Love”
- Oprah Winfrey ran a year-long daily ACIM radio program on XM in 2008
- Carlos Santana publicly identifies as “a student of A Course in Miracles” (Miracle Distribution Center, 2014)
- Jay-Z and Beyonce both referenced ACIM’s opening line in their work (2015-2016)
- Dr. Wayne Dyer quoted ACIM in nearly every lecture he gave
Which Celebrities Actually Study A Course in Miracles?
83% of Americans say they believe in miracles (CBS News, 2024), but the Course defines miracles as shifts in perception from fear to love, not supernatural events. The celebrities on this list didn’t just casually mention ACIM in passing. They studied it, taught it, wrote about it, or referenced it in their work, and we can verify each connection.
Marianne Williamson
The most prominent ACIM teacher in the world. Williamson discovered the Course in the 1970s and has taught it for over 30 years. Her 1992 book A Return to Love became a massive bestseller after she discussed it on The Oprah Winfrey Show. That single appearance is largely credited with pushing ACIM past 2 million copies sold.
Williamson didn’t just write about the Course. She built her entire career and public life around it, including two presidential campaigns grounded in ACIM principles. She currently runs an ACIM Monthly Membership with ongoing study programs.
People sometimes compare my approach to Marianne’s, which is the highest compliment I can imagine. Barbara Adams wrote that “Maria picks up where Marianne Williamson left off,” and while I’m not sure I agree, I do think we share the same mission: making the Course accessible to people who might otherwise never pick it up.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah didn’t just interview Marianne Williamson. She became a genuine advocate for ACIM. After the 1992 episode (which received more viewer mail than any other that year), Oprah said she had “never been more moved by a book” and reportedly bought 1,000 copies of A Return to Love to give away.
In January 2008, Oprah took it further by launching a year-long daily radio program on XM satellite radio dedicated to ACIM’s Workbook lessons. That’s 365 episodes, one for each daily lesson. Say what you will about Oprah, but that level of commitment to a spiritual text is not casual interest.
Dr. Wayne Dyer
The late Wayne Dyer, one of the most influential self-help authors in history, quoted ACIM in nearly every lecture he gave. His favorite Course quote was “Would you be hostage to the ego or host to God?” which he returned to again and again across decades of speaking and writing.
Dyer’s official website has an entire section tagged “A Course in Miracles” with multiple posts exploring the Course’s teachings. He wrote that ACIM offers “a way out of the ‘I’m scared’ thought pattern” and recommended it to millions of his followers.
Carlos Santana
The legendary guitarist publicly identifies as an ACIM student. In an interview with Luxury Las Vegas magazine, Santana stated: “I made a gentle commitment to inner practices and I became a student of A Course in Miracles” (Miracle Distribution Center, 2014).
Santana’s connection to ACIM came through Gerald Jampolsky and Marianne Williamson. He has shared ACIM quotes on his official Facebook page and featured the Course on his website’s personal reflections section. For one of the greatest guitarists in history to credit a spiritual text with shaping his inner life, that says something about the Course’s depth.
Gabrielle Bernstein
Often called “the next-generation thought leader” by Oprah, Bernstein is a bestselling author whose books May Cause Miracles and Miracles Now are directly based on ACIM principles. She discovered the Course in her mid-twenties while recovering from addiction and has since built one of the most visible ACIM-based teaching platforms in the world.
Bernstein appeared on Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday and has been featured on CBS News discussing how ACIM transformed her relationship with fear and self-worth. She represents a new generation of ACIM teachers bringing the Course to younger audiences.
Gerald Jampolsky, M.D.
Dr. Jampolsky was one of the earliest and most effective promoters of ACIM. His 1979 book Love is Letting Go of Fear, based entirely on Course principles, sold over 3 million copies after an endorsement from Johnny Carson. As a psychiatrist, Jampolsky brought clinical credibility to the Course’s psychological framework.
He also endorsed my book Live Your Happy, writing: “Maria does a great job of reminding us that getting happier should be fun!” That endorsement means the world to me because Jampolsky understood, perhaps better than anyone, how to make ACIM practical without losing its depth.
Deepak Chopra
Chopra, one of the most recognized names in mind-body wellness, has created video content on ACIM titled “Revelation & Awakening: A Course in Miracles Revisited.” While Chopra’s primary framework is Ayurvedic and Vedantic rather than ACIM-specific, his engagement with the Course demonstrates how its principles resonate across spiritual traditions.
Which Musicians Have Referenced ACIM in Their Work?
The global wellness economy reached $6.3 trillion in 2023 (Global Wellness Institute, 2024), and ACIM’s influence extends far beyond the wellness world into mainstream music and culture.
Jay-Z
In September 2015, Jay-Z tweeted the Course’s most famous line: “Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists.” A year later, on “Drug Dealers Anonymous” (2016), he rapped: “I’m a course of miracles with this,” followed by the same quote (Miracle Distribution Center, 2016).
Whether Jay-Z is a committed ACIM student or simply drawn to its philosophy is unclear. But for one of the most influential artists in history to quote the Course’s opening line in both social media and recorded music? That’s not nothing.
Beyonce
In Lemonade (2016), the line “Nothing real can be threatened” appears in the visual album’s climactic moment. The quote was written by poet Warsan Shire, but its source is the introduction to A Course in Miracles. Like Jay-Z’s references, Beyonce’s use of this line introduced millions of fans to ACIM’s core teaching, whether they recognized it or not.
Why Do Celebrities Turn to A Course in Miracles?
Belief in miracles among graduate-educated Americans doubled from 30% in 1991 to 61% in 2018 (General Social Survey, 2018). The Course appeals to intelligent, successful people because it’s not about magical thinking. It’s a rigorous, 1,333-page curriculum that systematically dismantles the ego’s thought system.
Celebrities are uniquely positioned to understand why the Course works. They’ve achieved what the ego promises will make you happy: fame, money, recognition, power. And they’ve discovered firsthand that it doesn’t work. The ego’s promises are empty. The Course offers something the ego can’t: actual peace.
That’s exactly what happened to me. I had the TV career, the audiences, the attention. And I was searching for something the ego couldn’t deliver. When I found ACIM through Pathways of Light, I finally understood: happiness isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you stop blocking.
If you’re curious about what drew these celebrities (and me) to the Course, my free 9-week ACIM program covers the essentials. Or grab a copy of Live Your Happy for a warm, practical introduction to the same principles that changed all of our lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Denzel Washington follow A Course in Miracles?
No. This claim circulates online but is not supported by any interview, book, or public statement. Denzel Washington is a devout Pentecostal Christian who has spoken extensively about his traditional Christian faith. There is no verified connection between Washington and ACIM.
Does Chris Pratt follow A Course in Miracles?
No. Chris Pratt attends Zoe Church in Los Angeles and identifies as Christian. He has not referenced ACIM in any interview or public statement. Claims connecting him to the Course appear to be fabricated.
Did Oprah really run an ACIM radio show?
Yes. In January 2008, Oprah launched a year-long daily program on XM satellite radio dedicated to the ACIM Workbook lessons, 365 episodes covering each daily lesson. This followed her landmark 1992 episode with Marianne Williamson.
Is Jim Carrey an ACIM student?
Not specifically. Jim Carrey’s documented spiritual path centers on Eckhart Tolle’s teachings (The Power of Now, A New Earth), not ACIM. He spoke at the 2009 GATE conference alongside Tolle. While there’s philosophical overlap between Tolle and ACIM, Carrey has not publicly identified as an ACIM student.
Why do so many celebrities study A Course in Miracles?
ACIM appeals to high-achievers because it addresses the gap between external success and inner peace. Over 3 million copies have been sold worldwide (Foundation for Inner Peace), and the Course’s framework, which treats all suffering as misperception, resonates with people who’ve achieved everything the ego promises and found it wasn’t enough.
The Course Doesn’t Care About Fame
The most beautiful thing about A Course in Miracles is that it treats everyone the same. There’s no VIP section. Marianne Williamson studying the Course is no more significant to the Holy Spirit than you studying it tonight in your living room. The Course says, “There is no order of difficulty in miracles,” and that applies to who gets them too.
These celebrities found what millions of non-famous people have also found: a path back to peace. If you want to walk that same path, join the Happy Miracle Membership where we practice together daily. Because the Course meets everyone exactly where they are, famous or not.
With love,
Maria
