The First Time: Marianne Williamson

Some would say self-help author and “political outsider” Marianne Williamson’s very presence on the Democratic debate stage constitutes a miracle and Williamson herself would probably agree. She beat out a billionaire (Tom Steyer), a sitting U.S. Congressman (Seth Moulton), a former U.S. Senator (Mike Gravel), and already lasted longer in the race than California Rep. Eric Swalwell.

The foundational text that launched the self-help author’s career is Helen Schucman’s “A Course In Miracles,” but presidential candidate thinks that may lead some to misunderstand her beliefs. She demystified this idea to Rolling Stone, explaining that miracles shouldn’t be considered a supernatural phenomenon, but instead as “just a shift in your own thinking, from fear to love… I could just inhabit a space within myself of thinking there are more possibilities here than limitations.”

Williamson, who has distinguished herself from the crowded Democratic primary field with her thoughtful defenses of reparations, described the idea of atonement for slavery as at once “a kind of cosmic reset button” and simply just making good on General William T. Sherman’s promise of 40 acres and mule.

All of that, plus Williamson talking about her first time performing cabaret, seeing the film Avatar, witnessing “a very young Hall and Oates” perform live, and more in this installment of Rolling Stone‘s “The First Time.”