This Egyptian movement, incidentally, inspired the early Rosicrucian mystery schools, and extended to many of the Gnostic schools as well. This same confluence of education and spirituality is also seen in western monastic traditions. At the end of Chapter 1 in the text, the beginning student is strongly encouraged by Jesus to study this material. All learning involves attention and study at some level. This course is a mind-training course.
Good students assign study periods for themselves.
However, since this obvious step has not occurred to you , and since we are cooperating in this, I will make the obvious assignment now. We can therefore see how progress in the Course as a spiritual path rests heavily on the study and learning of its thought system. All who walk this earth identify with the arrogance of believing that they know what is true. The Course's purpose, as it was the purpose of the philosophy of Socrates and Plato, is to help its students unlearn the thought system of the world. This experience then inevitably becomes the basis for one's activity in the world.