World as Dream

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The idea of "world as dream" goes way back to the first among mystics, the Hindu and pre-Hindu culture of about four thousand years ago. But if we think that this has anything at all to do with "control," we have seriously misunderstood the entirety of the mystical Way. It has nothing at all to do with control, and nothing to do with "tricks," such as the violation of the laws of science or nature.

One goal of the mystic is completely to let go of all control, and all desire to control, and thus, to become a clear empty vessel, or instrument, for the cosmic Mind, the Dreamer of the cosmos. This is what the state of stillness, introduced to the mystic in meditation, is all about.

An illustration of this is the computer keyboard-- an apt miniparable because one sits so often on the lap, as now.:) If a keyboard had its own message or words that it "wanted" to write, it would be useless. You could not even use it, for, while you wanted too key in your thoughts, it would be over-riding your words with words of its own. It would be like the person who, in spiritual regression or illness, wants to cultivate control, or the desire to control. The mystic sees this as a serious spiritual illness, for it stands as an obstacle to, and resists, relaxation into the Flow of purest, deepest Mind.

What, then, is the desire to control? It can be expressed as fear (lack of faith), which is always spiritually unhealthy, or as overdeveloped hyperegotism, in which we believe that "If I don't do it, no one will." In both cases, we distrust the Power behind the cosmos; we distrust and mistrust God, the Dreamer at the Core of all Mind. We actually arrogate unto ourselves the mission of controlling the cosmos, and actually want to do this, so great is our fear. But we possess neither the Power nor the wisdom nor the right to do this. It is not in our "job-description." It is comparable to an ant with the delusion that it controls a large freight-train, or to an ameba believing that it controls a large corporation.

The mystic lives in the same "scary" cosmos as everyone else, of course, but she makes a startling choice: Faith. She decides to relax and allow the deepest Mind to regulate and control everything, as It does anyway. It does not need our "permission" to guide the cosmos. We simply need to awaken to the fact (reality) that It already does so. This brings us to the state of deep trust, totally relaxed, comparable to the nursing infant's trust of its mother, as Jesus illustrated. In time, it can bring us to the peak of the mystical life-- the life of true naturalness, worry-free and fear-free existence, as again illustrated by Jesus in his use of birds and flowers as models.

When we relax and "flogo," or cooperate with this Mindpower, we change only ourselves, creating great inner harmony and tranquility. We also stop expending (wasting) huge quantities of forcenergy, in trying to force, control, or bend the cosmos. As Jesus reminds us, you cannot change a single hair from black to white, or vice-versa. Again, this is not your job. The call to mysticism is not a call to magic.

Knowing the nature of cosmos as dream does not allow the mystic to "create" or even to experience "miracles," as can be quite common in nightdreams. No, she cannot fly or walk through walls. Even some of the most stunning legends, including those of Jesus, have likely been exaggerated and expanded over the centuries; and they were very probably allegorical, to begin with. So, although Jesus makes a great model for the mystic, he is generally regarded, realistically, as a model of peace and Love, not a practical model of some kind of trivial trickster or magician-- as the average person so often misinterprets him.

Why? Because the crowd is impressed by Power and control, the mystic by only Love, goodness, and tranquility. So, here, the mystic is more "practical" than average.

While you can fly in your nightdreams, for example, it is also possible to dream that you cannot fly. But the fact that you cannot fly in a dream does not "disprove" that it is a dream. Similarly, there is no way to "disprove" that everyday life is also a dream.

But this negative also does not prove that life is a dream. Still, everyone, including all who think the world absolutely "real," knows that life is a series of events within the Mind. So, the mystic simply logically extrapolates from this selfevident fact to say that the entire cosmos is a similar Mindevent, or "dream."

But the waking world is much more complex, in some ways, than a nightdream. For it is collective or consensual. It arises from a much deeper level of Mind-- the collective. This, in turn, is rooted in the deepest, called "Coremind," "Lovemind," "Dreamer," "Spirit," or "God." A mystical name for God is "Creator," but also, "Dreamer." (The two are synonymous.) Over the centuries, human beings have worked very carefully and diligently, in the minutest detail, to create the "scientific paradigm." This has set some mind-limits on the dream that are greater than anyone's personal or individual will. This has created the immense, vast, gigantic force called "scientific consensuality." We can sometimes step outside of its boundaries, but only when and if that is the will of the Coremind. And this can occur only within a very rare state of Mind.

In the "world as dream" paradigm, the mystic can easily believe in "miracles," so her world is much more flexible, or Mind-responsive, than the world of "separate matter," or that of the materialist. Although miracles are exceedingly rare, in the "world as dream" paradigm, anything at all is possible!

What "practical" good is the realization of the world as dream? If you are seeking control, the news is not good. As noted, it does not increase personal control by a nanoparticle. But if you are seeking understanding, it changes the very origin and nature of reality. For the mystic realizes that all "Reality" is Mind. In other words, God is Mind is Reality. (The ancients used the word "truth" to mean "reality.") So, Mind is all that exists. It is forever. Being part of It, you are also forever. Since It is also Love, then Love regulates the entire cosmos through karma, forgiveness, and other principles.

Thus, the "world as dream" is a philosophic tool for understanding, not an instrument of control. A practical example occurred in this life in 1997, when the author's home was flooded. Although the crisis could have taken over the entire mind and thrown one into panic-- the response of the lower nature of ignorance-- it was realized at the time, "None of this is real." That became a source of greater Power and endurance. It led to "transcendence," a state of great tranquility that was literally "above" the fray and chaos. In this state, the mind can remain relatively untroubled during even crises. So, the "world as dream" paradigm serves as a psychological and practical, as well as a philosophic and abstract, tool in the mystic's "interior toolkit."

It leads to the realization (awakening to) the fact that only Mind, only Lovemind, is real. This reinforces trust (faith) in that Lovemind, which increases tranquility and personal Love for others.

Is the "world as dream" paradigm necessary for enlightenment? Yes, for it represents Reality. But is it necessary for the practice of Love? Not at all. So, despite the fact that all masters, teachers, sages, and luminnaries have accepted this paradigm as an alternative to dead and dull materialism, it is not necessary for you to believe it to live the fullest, richest practical life. Although it explains a wide spectrum of philosophic and moral issues, it is possible to love even in its absence. This is what might be called "ignorant goodness." God calls all people, even the ignorant, to Love. And that is very good indeed, for we are all ignorant-- some simply more, and some less.

As we do the personal dance with the cosmos, any tool that aids in the discovery of tranquility and Love is welcome. So, the explanation of "world as dream" is welcomed by the enlightened as a refreshing and liberating realization.
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