The primary purpose of today’s lesson is to clarify the goal.
When people believe they suffer because of a specific problem in form, it is easy to think their answer lies in resolving that specific problem. However, one problem follows another problem in the changing world of form. The only answer that resolves all problems is awakening to truth.
There are several sentences in today’s lesson that attempt to make that clarification:
~ “Cure” is a word that cannot be applied to any remedy the world accepts as beneficial. … Its forms of healing thus must substitute illusion for illusion.
~ [The patient] merely had a dream that he was sick, and in the dream he found a magic formula to make him well. Yet he has not awakened from the dream, and so his mind remains exactly as it was before.
~ What difference does the content of a dream make in reality? One either sleeps or wakens. There is nothing in between.
~ [Holiness] does not make distinctions between unrealities. … It merely focuses on what it is, and knows that no illusion can be real.
~ There is no remedy the world provides that can effect a change in anything. The mind that brings illusions to truth is really changed.
The lesson also says, “We will try today to find the source of healing, which is in our minds because our Father placed it there for us.” (In this context, “healing” is synonymous with awakening.)
This is why we practice awareness-watching-awareness meditation. We focus within on awareness, our true Self. Our true Self is the source of healing. It is the light that awakens.
We do not need to resolve our worldly problems in order to practice awareness-watching-awareness daily. Awareness is always present, so it can always be watched regardless of what problems are present in our daily life now. All we need is the desire to spend some time each day being with our true Self.
During awareness-watching-awareness, we aren’t looking for anything in form to change as a result of our practice. Instead, we are taking a break from all illusions in order to focus solely on truth for a period of time.
The goal is not to change the dream. The goal is to awaken from it.
It is okay to seek resolution to problems that come up in the dream. If there is a headache, it is okay to take aspirin. If a job ends, it is ok to look for another job. However, keep in mind that this is all dream stuff. Let the dream be the dream, AND remain clear on the goal. It is possible to do both by keeping the mind focused in the direction of truth. This is often referred to as “being in the world but not of it.”
Remember that the only resolution that can be a cure (a successful and permanent remedy from suffering) is awakening to truth. Everything else is temporary relief from suffering at best. Temporary relief is acceptable and can be helpful, but it isn’t the goal.
