Text: from A Course in Miracles: "Chapter 27 The Healing of the Dream VIII The `Hero' of the Dream 1. The body is the central figure in the dreaming of the world. There is no dream without it, nor does it exist without the dream in which it acts as if it were a person to be seen and be believedŠ. 1.4 In the brief time allotted it to live, it seeks for other bodies as its friends and enemies. Its safety is its main concern. Its comfort is its guiding rule. It tries to look for pleasure, and avoid the things that would be hurtful. Above all, it tries to teach itself its pains and joys are different and can be told apart. 2. The dreaming of the world takes many forms, because the body seeks in many ways to prove it is autonomous and real. 2.5 It looks about for special bodies that can share its dream. Sometimes it dreams it is a conqueror of bodies weaker than itself. But in some phases of the dream, it is the slave of bodies that would hurt and torture it. 3. The body's serial adventures, from the time of birth to dying are the theme of every dream the world has ever had. The `hero' of this dream itself takes many forms, and seems to show a great variety of places and events wherein its 'hero' finds itself, the dream has but one purpose, taught in many ways. This single lesson does it try to teach again, and still again, and yet once more; that it is cause and not effect. And you are its effect, and cannot be its cause. 4. Thus you are not the dreamer, but the dream. And so you wander idly in and out of places and events that it contrives. That this is all the body does is true, for it is but a figure in a dreamŠ. 5. How willing are you to escape the effects of all the dreams the world has ever had?"

See Also:

Source: