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 VI: The Light of Communication

Read ACIM Chapter 14, Section VI (pages 285-286)

What does the Course meany by ‘the sentinels of darkness’?

We thought we broke off communication when we believed we had separated from our Father. With this decision to see ourselves as separate, we felt guilty and feared punishment because we thought we had usurped His power. What we thought we had made has made us fearful, but we feared God’s retribution even more. To keep ourselves safe, we erected barriers, which the Course calls ‘the sentinels of darkness,’ to keep the memory of God out. “What is kept apart from Love cannot share Its healing power, because it has been separated off and kept in darkness. The sentinels of darkness watch over it carefully, and you who made these guardians of illusion out of nothing are now afraid of them.” (2:4-5)

How can we now use ‘the power of decision’ on our behalf?

We made the power of decision when we thought there was value in being separate from God. In the oneness of God, there is nothing to decide between and thus no need for the power of decision. Our only need in Heaven is to extend Love, or to create. “The power of decision, which you made in place of the power of creation, He would teach you how to use on your behalf. You who made it to crucify yourself must learn of Him how to apply it to the holy cause of restoration.” (5:6-7)

How do we let the Holy Spirit re-establish true communication?

Our belief in what is not true has kept us ignorant of the truth. Because the Holy Spirit is the part of our mind that returns us to the truth, it is the Holy Spirit that re-establishes communication in our fearful mind. Communication brings Light and understanding and thus release from fear. “[The Holy Spirit] knows you are not separate from God, but He perceives much in your mind that lets you think you are. All this and nothing else would He separate from you.” (5:4-5)

The Holy Spirit will not take from us what we are not willing to let go of. If we want to be free of fear, we need to bring all of our dark and fearful thoughts to the Holy Spirit and let Him gently teach us that there is nothing to fear, because they are not real. “We must open all doors and let the Light come streaming through.” (8:5) As we stop hiding our dark and fearful thoughts and bring them to the Holy Spirit, He will shine the darkness away, so that only the Light of Love remains. Because only Love is real, everything but Love will disappear.

Because we do not remember true communication, it is the Holy Spirit’s job to separate the meaningful from the meaningless in order to restore us to true communication. “You who speak in dark and devious symbols do not understand the language you have made. It has no meaning, for its purpose is not communication.” (6:1-2) In darkness, we express only conflict. We do not know how to communicate truly and so our job now is to leave all communication to the Holy Spirit. With the Holy Spirit we are learning to exchange our ignorance for the Light of understanding. “Leave what you would communicate to Him. He will interpret it to you with perfect clarity, for He knows with Whom you are in perfect communication.” (6:6-7)

Perfect communication means perfect communion, or perfect unity. It is the Holy Spirit in our mind that is in total communication with the Holy Spirit in every mind that thinks it is divided. Another way to say this is the Truth in our mind sees the Truth in every mind and recognizes Its oneness.

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