IN "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy writes (p. 403), "You command the situation if you understand that mortal existence is a state of self-deception and not the truth of being." We learn in Christian Science that this state of self-deception is the dream of mortality, sometimes claiming to bring pleasure, but never really satisfying us.
The writer witnessed the instant awakening from a dream within the dream of life in matter during a brief visit with a niece who is not a student of Christian Science. On the night before the writer's departure, the niece told her that every night for the past several months she had been experiencing a very frightening dream. She would awaken exhausted after struggling to free herself from some supposed enclosure in which she thought she was imprisoned. This repeated nightly experience was causing her to be extremely nervous, depressed, and depleted. Her husband was urging her to seek medical help.
The writer shared with her relative some of the teachings of Christian Science regarding God and man and assured her that she could rest well that night, for she could claim the Bible promise (Prov. 3:24), "When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid: yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet." Her niece proved this and expressed much gratitude for the undisturbed restful sleep. Several months later the writer learned from her that she had never had the dream again. The healing was not only instantaneous but has been permanent.
