A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple

To gain the most from A Course in Miracles Text Made Simple, we recommend that
you read the corresponding chapter and section in the Text of the Second or
Third Edition of A Course in Miracles published by the Foundation for Inner Peace.

Chapter 14: Teaching for Truth

Section VII: Sharing Perception with the Holy Spirit

Read ACIM Chapter 14, Section VII (pages 287-289)

How do we share perception with the Holy Spirit?

If we want to share perception with the Holy Spirit, we will. However if we want to keep our private world which we share with no one, the truth the Holy Spirit offers is invisible to us. “What do you want? Light or darkness, knowledge or ignorance are yours, but not both.” (1:1-2)

The ego made perception to make the illusion of separation appear real. The Holy Spirit gives perception a new purpose by using it as a means to bring ignorance to knowledge. He does this by showing us that union is the only truth. The way to find the truth of union is to search out everything in our mind that interferes with our awareness of union. We do this by bringing all our fears to the Holy Spirit and opening our minds to His interpretation.

When we do not want to see union, we will not see it. We will see separate bodies with separate minds instead. We deceive ourselves by hiding union behind the ego’s false image making. Jesus tells us, “It is there, wherever you are, being within you. Yet it can be recognized or unrecognized, real or false to you. If you hide [union], it becomes unreal to you because you hid it and surrounded it with fear. Under each cornerstone of fear on which you have erected your insane system of belief, the truth lies hidden.” (2:4-7)

What is the mechanism we use to avoid seeing union?

The good news is that as soon as we are willing to see the truth of union, the Holy Spirit will show it to us because it is always there to remember. The truth of our union has never left us even though we have dissociated from it. Jesus explains this insane process of dissociation and how we use it to avoid seeing union. “Dissociation is a distorted process of thinking whereby two systems of belief which cannot coexist are both maintained. If they are brought together, their joint acceptance becomes impossible. But if one is kept in darkness from the other, their separation seems to keep them both alive and equal in their reality. Their joining thus becomes the source of fear, for if they meet, acceptance must be withdrawn from one of them.” (4:3-7)

What does the Holy Spirit need from us in order to enter?

If we want to maintain a separate identity we will be afraid of remembering union. So the whole thing comes around to what do we want? Do we want to maintain the illusion of separation or would we give these false images to the Holy Spirit to be undone? “Open every door to Him, and bid Him enter the darkness and lighten it away. At your request He enters gladly. He brings the light to darkness if you make the darkness open to Him. But what you hide He cannot look upon. He sees for you, and unless you look with Him He cannot see. The vision of Christ is not for Him alone, but for Him with you.” (6:2-7)

Since truth is union, truth must be shared to be recognized. That is why we must join with the Holy Spirit in sharing His perception because that is how it becomes real to us. “Seeing with Him will show you that all meaning, including yours, comes not from double vision, but from the gentle fusing of everything into one meaning, one emotion and one purpose.” (7:5) As we share the Holy Spirit’s vision, our oneness with all shines brightly in our minds with an appeal so great that we want nothing but to share it with all.

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