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Chapter 28: The Two Dreams

 

8. Shifting to a Gentler Dream

Suffering is an emphasis upon all that you believe the world has done to hurt you. Here is the world’s demented version of “salvation” clearly demonstrated in your own perception of cause and effect. Like to a dream of punishment in which the dreamer is unconscious of what brought on the attack against themself, this world’s version of cause and effect is the perception of being treated unjustly, and by something not oneself. You are the victim of this “something else,” a thing outside you for which you have no reason to be held responsible. You must be innocent of this chain of cause and effect because you do not know what you have done, but only what is done to you.

Yet is your own attack upon yourself apparent still, for it is you who bear the suffering, and nothing can come to you uninvited. It only appears that you cannot escape this chain of cause and effect because its source is perceived as outside yourself and outside of your awareness.

Now you are being shown that you can release yourself from this dream. All that is needed is for you to see the problem as it really is, rather than the way you have set it up. How could there be another way to solve a problem that is very simple, but has been obscured by heavy clouds of complication that were made to keep the problem unrecognized and unresolved? Without the clouds of complication, the problem will emerge in all its primal simplicity. The choice will not be difficult, because the problem is easily solved when clearly seen. No one has difficulty making up their mind to let a simple problem be resolved if it is perceived as hurting them, and also very easily removed.

The “reasoning” by which the world is made, on which it rests, and by which it is maintained, is simply this:

 

Something or someone other than myself is the cause of what I experience and therefore of what I do in response. Its presence and actions justify my reactions, and it exists and its actions are determined by a force entirely separate from me. Because I am the victim of this chain of cause and effect, I must be innocent of it. And what I suffer from is its disregard of me or its active attack against me.

 

Everyone who examines this “reasoning” exactly as it is – knowing that there is only one Will in reality and that in truth nothing can come to us without our consent – will be able to see that it is not reasonable, and makes no sense. Yet it seems sensible because it does appear that the world is hurting you. And so it seems as if there is no need to go beyond the obvious in terms of cause.

There is indeed a need. The world’s Release from judgment and condemnation is the only real need that those within the world are joined in sharing. Yet they do not recognize their common need. For each one thinks that if they alone do their part in the world’s release from condemnation, the judgment of the world will then focus on them. And they believe that taking on the world’s guilt is their part in its deliverance, and one that they would avoid.

Retribution must have a focus outside of the avenger. Otherwise is the avenger’s knife in their own hand, and pointed to themself. So they must perceive it in another hand if they would be a victim of attack they did not choose. And thus they believe they suffer from the wounds a knife they do not hold has made upon themself.

This is the insane purpose of a world that can be looked upon as outside oneself. And, perceived thus, the world provides the means – outer experience – by which this purpose of shifting responsibility seems to be fulfilled. The means attest to the purpose of self-delusion about cause and effect, but are not themselves a cause, being merely means. Nor will the cause be changed by perceiving it apart from its effects. The cause through its means produces its effects, which then bear witness to the cause and not themselves. The cause of self-delusion can only be changed when the mind’s purpose is changed to the seeking of Truth.

See, then, beyond effects. It is not in effects whose cause is seemingly outside yourself that the real cause of the experience of suffering and the belief in separation must be found. Dwell not on the suffering and guilt, for they are merely reflections, not real effects, of the actual cause. And the part you play in awakening the world from condemnation is your own release, not your own condemnation.

Remember that the witness to the world of illusions cannot speak except for what has sought and looked upon a need for illusions in the world. And inside yourself is where your guilt was first looked upon. In separation from your sisters and brothers was the first attack upon yourself begun. And it is this the world bears witness to. Seek not another cause, nor look among the mighty legions of its witnesses for this cause’s undoing. They support its claim on your allegiance. What conceals the Truth is not where you should seek to find the Truth. The witnesses to guilt all stand within one little space, and it is here you find the cause of your illusory perspective on the world.

You were once unaware of what must really be the cause of everything the world appeared to thrust upon you, uninvited and unasked. Of one thing alone you were sure: that of all the many causes you perceived as bringing pain and suffering to you, your contribution was not among them. Nor did you in any way request these experiences for yourself. This is how all illusions come about. They who make them up do not perceive themselves as making them, and, in their delusion, the illusions’ “reality” does not depend on their belief. Whatever cause these have seems to be something quite apart from the perceiver, and what they look upon is separate from their mind. They cannot doubt their dreams’ reality because they do not see the part they play in conjuring their dreams, and making them seem real.

No one can waken from a dream they believe the world is dreaming for them. In such a world they become a part of someone else’s dream. They cannot choose to waken from a dream they did not make. Helpless they stand, a victim of a dream conceived and cherished by what appears to be a separate mind. Careless indeed of them this mind must be, as thoughtless of their peace and happiness as is the weather or the time of day. This separate mind must love them not, but casts them as it will, in any role that satisfies its dream. So little is their worth that they are merely a dancing shadow, leaping up and down, according to a senseless plot conceived within the idle dreaming of the world.

If you be not the dreamer of your own dreams, then this is the only picture you can conceive, the one possibility that you can make sense of, the only option of cause. And this is what you choose if you deny that the cause of all your experiences is in your own mind. Be glad indeed that in your mind is where the true cause is, for thus are you the one decider of your destiny in time. The choice is yours to make between nightmares of a sleeping death or a happy awakening to the Joy of Life. What could you choose between except Life or death, Peace or conflict, waking or sleeping, your reality or your dreams?

But if the choice is really given you, then you must see the causes of the things you choose between exactly as they are, and where they are. What choice can be made between two states if only one of them is clearly recognized? Who could be free to choose between effects when only one cause of effects is perceived as being your choice, and the other as beyond your choice? An honest choice could never be perceived as one in which the options are split between a tiny you and an enormous world, each with different dreams about the truth in you.

The gap between Reality and dreams is not between the dreaming of the world and what you dream in secret. These are the same. The dreaming of the world is merely a part of your own dream that you gave away, and looked upon as if it were both its own start and ending. Yet was it started by your secret dream, which you do not perceive although it caused the part you look upon and do not doubt is real. How could you doubt the dreaming of the world while you lie asleep and dream in secret that its cause is real? A brother or sister separated from yourself, an ancient enemy, a murderer who stalks you in the night and plots your death yet plans that it be lingering and slow: of these things you dream. Yet beneath this dream is another, in which you become the secret enemy, the murderer, the scavenger and the destroyer of the brother or sister and the world you fear, alike.

This is the actual cause of suffering—the space between your dreams and your reality. The little gap you do not even perceive, the birthplace of illusions and of fear, the time of terror and of ancient hate, the instant of disaster—all are here. Here is the cause of unreality. And it is here that it will be undone. You are the dreamer and therefore cause of the world of dreams. No other cause it has, nor ever will.

Nothing more fearful than an idle dream has terrified the Divine’s Children since time began, and made them think that they had lost their Innocence, denied their Creator, and made war upon themselves. So fearful has their nightmare been, so seeming real, that they could not awaken from it to Reality without the sweat of terror and a scream of mortal fear unless a gentler dream preceded their awakening, and allowed their calmer mind to welcome, not to fear, the Voice that called with Love to awaken them forever. The Divine willed that they awaken gently and with Joy, and gave them the Means to awaken without fear. Accept the gentle Dream your Creator gave instead of yours. It is not difficult to shift a dream when once the dreamer has been recognized without fear.

Rest in the Holy Spirit, and allow Its gentle Dream to take the place of those you dreamed in terror and in fear of death. It brings forgiving dreams, in which the choice is not who the murderer is and who shall be the victim. In the dreams It brings there is no murder and there is no death. The dream of separation and guilt is fading from your sight, although your eyes are still closed. A smile has come to lighten up your sleeping face. Your sleep is peaceful now, for these are happy dreams. Dream softly of your sinless sisters and brothers, who unite with you in holy Innocence. And from this dream the Creator of Heaven will Itself awaken forever Its beloved Children.

Dream of your sisters and brothers’ kindnesses instead of dwelling in your dreams on their mistakes. Select their thoughtfulness to dream about, instead of counting up the hurts they gave. Forgive them their illusions, and give thanks to them for all the helpfulness they offer. And do not brush aside their many gifts just because they are not perfect in your dreams. Your sisters and brothers represent their Creator, Whom you perceive as offering both Life and death to you.

Sisters and brothers, our Creator gives only Life. What you perceive as the gifts your sisters and brothers offer represents the Gifts you dream your Creator gives to you. Let all your sisters and brothers’ gifts be seen in light of Charity and Kindness offered you. And let no pain disturb your gentle dream of deep appreciation for their gifts to you.