To Dream or to Awaken - That is the Question

Some students try to use the Course to dream a better dream rather than to awaken. This, of course, is going to result in limited peace and happiness. Since dreams are not true they cannot satisfy you – you will always know you are missing Something and will seek and seek and seek.

Let’s say tonight you go to sleep and have a nightmare. After a while you awaken, breathe a sigh of relief that it was only a dream, roll over and go back to sleep. This time you have a pleasant dream. Which one is real – the nightmare or the pleasant dream? Obviously, both are dreams. Neither is true.

Wouldn’t you rather awaken from all dreams? It is inevitable that your pleasant dreams will turn to nightmares because they are not true, you know this on some level, and you feel guilty because you feel you usurped God’s power. The Course tells us a happy dream will precede full awakening but this is only because you recognize that you are dreaming. The goal of awakening causes the happy dream. The goal of a happy dream is still self-deception.

How do you know if your goal is a happy dream or awakening? Are you trying to improve the world or are you sorting out what is Truth (God) from what is illusion (the world, bodies, ego)? Are you caught up in what is happening in the world or looking past it to Truth? Do you blame the world or others for how you feel or do you recognize these are your own projections? Do you petition your Holy Spirit to make your life in the world better or do you commune daily and throughout the day with your Holy Spirit because you want Truth?

If you want to dream a better dream you want to stay involved in the world; if you are awakening, you want to be detached from the world and resting in peace within.

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Comments

jacomina said…
I literarily have one foot in Truth and one foot in Illusion. Since Liz has been kind enough to mentor me through some painful sorting out stuff last month I determined to trust the Holy Spirit AND rather than sort out Truth from Illusion I asked for a better dream. Traditional religous teaching. I felt so much better as my isolation and finances improved (and so quickly) I rode the wave until this morning. Now I cant enjoy my improved circumstance or my trust in the HOly spirit cuz I managed to get my prayers answered and completely forgot my journey to awaken. And yet a chunk of me stayed quiet and grounded (I could never say peaceful yet) while I watched the dream around me add to my happiness. I have been isolated and unloved for so long I dont know if this is suppose to be happening or is it steering me off track. Wonder what you think Liz?
9:08 AM
ACIM Mentor said…
There is no 'supposed to', Jackie. What happens, happens. Nothing can steer you off track. You choose to be off track or not. Focus on the quiet, grounded part of yourself, and it will not matter to you what is going on 'out there'.
9:17 AM
jacomina said…
Even though I cant fully understand how I'm not off track I know when you say stay focused on the quiet grounded part that you are on track. So I pondered that all day and even went to church (off track, off track!) hoping I could mix traditional christianity and acim up together so it wouldnt be so hard. Its so much easier to say I'm a sinner and then pray for forgiveness than it is to wake up. Are they reconcilable at all? Liz, if your partner is christian and you are both following the Holy Spirit then you have some common ground right?
4:17 PM
jacomina said…
Here's the miracle. I have been tormented all week by a whirlwind of "goals" presenting themselves to me - each one looking more enticing than the last. Traditional Chinese Medicine, Eckhart Tolle, Vedanta, the Steppenwolf etc. etc. and get this. Even though I'm on lesson 114 and my bookmark was definately there I've just opened the Course to lesson 74 and it reads....There is no will but God's.I cannot be in conflict. And..."As an expression of the Will of God, you have no goal but His. The belief that conflict is possible has gone. Talk about getting quiet and grounded. Thanks Liz for listening, encouraging and the guidance that you so lovingly give.
5:19 PM
ACIM Mentor said…
Jackie, you don't have to give up your goals in the world - you only have to bring God with you as you pursue them. This shifts their purpose from the personal to your awakening.
Remember, the goals that we have in the world are never just goals in themselves. There's a goal behind them - separation from God or awakening to God. It's what you use the goal for that determines which it will be for you. So, don't give them up; give them over to the Holy Spirit to use for your awakening.
7:52 AM
jacomina said…
"Step back from all the blah-blah of the world and breathe a sigh of relief that it isn’t real. You don’t need to mesmerize yourself with the world; you need to detach yourself from the world. Use your free time to clear your mind and commune with God rather than watch the news or read the newspaper. You will find that anything you need to know to do what you have to do will come to you." My apologies if this isnt allowed on your blog but I had to quote you above. It all helps.
5:27 PM
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