The Fairy of the Moon determines that girls become women, and boys men. Henceforth their life is like a “dream,” in which the figures, whom they themselves have created, call them up. And that dream, in essence, prevents them from dedicating their life force to the things for which they do not yet have the maturity. That is the force that protects us, which makes our eyes blind and our ears deaf for spiritual things we cannot yet handle. That is the Work of the Moon, and every girl and boy experiences the greatness of that Force, with which she regulates the functions that have just developed.
They sleep and dream, and their
life force goes moderately or immeasurably down those paths. The higher
gates remain closed. (J. W. Kaiser, Wisdom of Fairy Tales, from the
Dutch, Sprokenwijsheid).
and
6
Yet the Bible says that a deep sleep fell upon Adam, and nowhere is
there reference to his waking up. 7 The world has not yet experienced
any comprehensive reawakening or rebirth. 8 Such a rebirth is impossible
as long as you continue to project or miscreate. 9 It still remains
within you, however, to extend as God extended His Spirit to you. 10 In
reality this is your only choice, because your free will was given you
for your joy in creating the perfect.
All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God. 2 Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this. 3 Here is the real basis for your escape from fear. 4 The escape is brought about by your acceptance of the Atonement, which enables you to realize that your errors never really occurred. 5 Only after the deep sleep fell upon Adam could he experience nightmares. 6 If a light is suddenly turned on while someone is dreaming a fearful dream, he may initially interpret the light itself as part of his dream and be afraid of it. 7 However, when he awakens, the light is correctly perceived as the release from the dream, which is then no longer accorded reality. 8 This release does not depend on illusions. 9 The knowledge that illuminates not only sets you free, but also shows you clearly that you are free. (ACIM:T-2.I.3:6 - T-2.I.4:9)
All fear is ultimately reducible to the basic misperception that you have the ability to usurp the power of God. 2 Of course, you neither can nor have been able to do this. 3 Here is the real basis for your escape from fear. 4 The escape is brought about by your acceptance of the Atonement, which enables you to realize that your errors never really occurred. 5 Only after the deep sleep fell upon Adam could he experience nightmares. 6 If a light is suddenly turned on while someone is dreaming a fearful dream, he may initially interpret the light itself as part of his dream and be afraid of it. 7 However, when he awakens, the light is correctly perceived as the release from the dream, which is then no longer accorded reality. 8 This release does not depend on illusions. 9 The knowledge that illuminates not only sets you free, but also shows you clearly that you are free. (ACIM:T-2.I.3:6 - T-2.I.4:9)
Thus
in myth and fairy tale, as well as in the Bible, there is a reflection
of the awareness of the fact that this life in the world of time and
space, as an independent individual, who is born and dies is in fact a
dream-life, in which we have forgotten who we truly are. The essence of
Jesus's ministry on this earth, then in Palestine and in current terms
a.o. through A Course in Miracles,
is to help us awaken from the dream, by following him, the Way, the
Truth, and the Life, towards the Resurrection, in which we shall know
again who we truly are as God's son, just like happens in the Fairy Tale
of Sleeping Beauty, whose prince, who kisses our soul awake of course
is none other than Jesus, as reflected in this passage of the Course:
The
special ones are all asleep, surrounded by a world of loveliness they
do not see. 2 Freedom and peace and joy stand there, beside the bier on
which they sleep, and call them to come forth and waken from their dream
of death. 3 Yet they hear nothing. 4 They are lost in dreams of
specialness. 5 They hate the call that would awaken them, and they curse
God because He did not make their dream reality. 6 Curse God and die,
but not by Him Who made not death; but only in the dream. 7 Open your
eyes a little; see the savior God gave to you that you might look on
him, and give him back his birthright. 8 It is yours. (ACIM:T-24.III.7)
And
typical of the Course, it puts us in touch with the psychological
dynamic of why we do not want to be woken up, which it would serve us
well to remember when our moment arrives, for all the pain we experience
at such times is nothing but the ego trying to still make the body
real, and convince us that we are surely going to die if we do one step
further at the hand of Jesus, when in truth the only thing that will
happen is that the ego loses its grip on us and we would be happy,
happier than we could ever imagine, by letting our Savior awaken us, who
has come for us to lead us home. The choice is up to us. And in
choosing him, we choose our true Self, and happily go home with him.
In the Thomas Gospel it is perhaps Logion 108 which
gives expression to this kiss from Jesus in which we truly become like
unto him, so that in turn his light can shine through us into this
world. The theme of being asleep in quite those terms does not occur in
the Thomas collection, but clearly, when he speaks of us being "drunk"
in Logion 28
he is speaking of the same dynamic, of our being impaired with the
dreams of this world of time and space, so we no longer know our
immortal reality. The Course as a path helps us to release this
resistance to our freedom, like hostage victims who are caught up in the
Stockholm Syndrome, and who have to learn gradually to let it go.
In
the Biblical context it is the moment of the baptism in the River
Jordan, under John the Baptist, when Jesus experiences God's voice,
saying: "You are my beloved son in whom I am well pleased." That is the
moment of the awakening, the resurrection, at the outset of Jesus's
ministry in Gallilee, which is the symbol for this world of time and
space. Thus the awakening naturally preceded his ministry, and the
resurrection came indeed before the crucifixion, so that he did not
suffer or die on the cross, and was later able to appear to the
apostles, as he promises indeed he always will if we attune our eyes and
ears to him, not in the physical sense, but in the spiritual sense.
Kaiser summarizes the point of the fairy tale as follows:
And no one “finds” us until the times have been fulfilled. Until a
young “prince” discerns the castle and, like the knight Perceval,1 comes to question, wanting to know the cause;
and, passing through the “valley” of pain, he knows to penetrate
through woods and thorny bushes to the gates of the castle and then,
when he kisses the “maiden” with the fire of his love, “awakens her from
the dead” and rouses all from their sleep.
Whoever
leaves the sleep of death this way, because he has found himself,
enters the “hall of mirrors” and becomes satiated with an indescribable
feast, while heavenly music resounds.
He marries his other Self.
The children of spirit from this marriage are called Dawn and Day, for they are “children of light.”
But never does a soul reach Peace and undivided Happiness until the “mother”— “she who is what we were
before,” a monster of cruel envy—has died. Until this angry “mother”
has tried in vain to make Dawn and Day her prey, and finally even the
young “Queen,” but then perishes because of her own anger.
1The name of this savior/knight of Arthurian legend means “through this valley.” See "Perceval" in this book. (Tr.)
(J.W. Kaiser, The Wisdom of Fairy Tales, from the Dutch, Sprokenwijsheid)
Thus
does the ego fade into the "nothingness from which it came,"
(ACIM:M-13.1:2) which assures the happy ending, for "The outcome is as
certain as God." (ACIM:T-2.III.3:10, and T-4.II.5:8)
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