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.

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Chapter 21: Reason and Perception

Section VI: Reason versus Madness

Read ACIM Chapter 21, Section VI (pages 459-61)

How does reason lead to the correction of errors?

Reason is in our right mind, our true Self. Being in our right mind, reason is grounded in Reality or Truth. And since Reality is changeless, reason cannot be shaken or altered by the illusions of the ego. Thus reason is able to bring illusion to Truth so that our illusions disappear and we return to full awareness of our oneness with our brother and our Source. “Reason cannot see sin but can see errors, and leads to their correction.” (1:1)

Why must correction always include releasing the idea of sin or guilt?

Correction always entails letting go of the belief in sin or guilt. Belief in sin or guilt is inherent in the belief that separation from our Source has really happened. Believing any brother is guilty for what he has ‘done,’ is the same as believing that the separation from Love could really happen, which is what belief in ‘sin’ means. If separation from the Mind of Love has never happened, we are still joined in the Mind of Love. If we think that separation from the Mind of Love has happened, we are still believing in sin, and this belief is what needs to be corrected. If reason shows us we have not separated, this means every brother is still Love and we are still the same Love. This also means that if we ‘see’ something else, what we are seeing is illusion, coming from the false idea of separation.

How does correction include releasing the idea that we have private thoughts?

Jesus tells us, “If you and your brother are joined, how could it be that you have private thoughts?” (2:8) As we move away from madness and toward reason, we view the idea of private thoughts differently. We are able to see these ‘private’ thoughts as coming from the false ego mind and therefore we see that they are not our real Thoughts. It becomes clearer to us that what we are seeing through the body’s eyes is madness. We start learning to see past the body and let the veil be lifted to the fact that we are still one Spirit of Love and these stories of separate ‘lives’ are not real.

We may still see bodies through the body’s eyes, but we give them a new meaning. Jesus says, “Madness and reason see the same things, but it is certain that they look upon them differently.” (3:9) With the help of the Holy Spirit’s reason, we see the madness of separate bodies as a story that could never be real. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the veil of madness is lifted, and we look upon what we see differently. We are able to see the Love that is always there beyond the story of separation.

Why does Jesus refer to what is real about us as ‘continuous’?

Jesus tells us, “What can there be that stands between what is continuous? And if there is nothing in between, how can what enters part be kept away from other parts?” (5:5-6) It is very helpful to our awakening that we understand that what is real is continuous. That is not what we see in this world and this helps us remember that everything that appears to be ‘not continuous’ or not connected is false and therefore not real.

The fact that we are ‘continuous,’ means that there is no division, no gaps between what we are and what our brother is. This means that our brother is one with us.

Does the fact that we are one with our brother mean that we have the power to heal the Son of God?

Jesus tells us, “The power to heal the Son of God is given you because he must be one with you. You are responsible for how he sees himself. And reason tells you it is given you to change his whole mind, which is one with you, in just an instant. And any instant serves to bring complete correction of his errors and make him whole. The instant that you choose to let yourself be healed, in that same instant is his whole salvation seen as complete with yours.” (7:4-8) Letting in this idea that we are one with our brother is central to our awakening to the truth. We are not one with his body or the personality we associate with his body, but we have the same Mind. As we allow reason to replace madness, we see that this wholeness with God is true now. As we let our insanity be healed, we see that every brother is saved, along with us because we are still are one Son, one extension of Love.

How do we realize that we are already freed?

We realize that we are already freed when we are willing to make way for the truth. Jesus reminds us, “Where could his freedom lie but in himself, if he be free already? And who could bind him but himself, if he deny his freedom? God is not mocked; no more His Son can be imprisoned save by his own desire. And it is by his own desire that he is freed. Such is his strength, and not his weakness. He is at his own mercy. And where he chooses to be merciful, there is he free. But where he chooses to condemn instead, there is he held a prisoner, waiting in chains his pardon on himself to set him free.” (11:3-10)

There you have it. The whole Sonship is free. As we are willing to make way for the truth, we see what is true about us and every brother right now and for eternity. As we want to wake up, we will wake up to what has been true forever. As we are willing to wake up to Reality, we see that nothing has ever happened to change God’s one Son. Instead of condemnation, we choose Love. And what we choose, we will see.

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