Heaven is a State of Mind

I woke up from a powerful dream this morning, and I want to share it!

In my dream, I was visiting a family member at a temporary home for the medically fragile. I met some young children at the shelter. Two of them—a little boy and a little girl—were stealing a ton of clothes from the stores nearby and hiding them. I discovered this and realized I was called to help. I needed to first find and tell their parents. I was going to give the children an opportunity to tell their parents themselves before I said anything.

They ended up telling their parents, and they all sat down at a table. I asked if they wanted me to sit down to help hold space and support, and they said yes. They began the conversation. Their parents were asking them questions about their behavior—if it was due to jealousy of their friends, if they were upset with their parents, etc.

The little boy finally said, “Well, we’re all going to hell anyways, so why does it matter?”

I was shocked. I knew the parents wouldn’t like this, but I had to correct this boy’s false beliefs anyway. I told him that God loves him unconditionally, and that there’s no hell. I looked him lovingly and directly in the eyes and told him that he is not going to hell. He got squirrel-ly. He was very surprised to hear that I didn’t believe in hell.

I told him again that God only loves him—that God loves him more than we could ever imagine and doesn’t send anyone to hell. I told him I was so sorry that he grew up believing in hell, and that he had been so scared he felt he had no choice but to act this way. I reassured him that he doesn’t have to be scared of hell.

I told him I have discovered churches and spiritual communities that don’t believe in hell—communities that believe in a God, or a higher power, that is only all-loving. I was about to tell him that hell only exists in our minds—that we create hell in our minds out of fear. I didn’t care what his parents thought about what I was saying. I needed them to know the truth.

I wish I could tell all children this and correct their false beliefs. I wish everybody knew they don’t have to be scared in this way or believe in such a terrifying lie. That we are not sinners. That there is no sin. That heaven is a state of mind. But it is not my responsibility to teach everyone this. Not everyone will believe it or listen. I share this instead, for anybody who may find it helpful.

Instead, I have constant, recurring dreams about helping children and people remember the truth. I have waking dreams of this as well every day. I pray we all wake up and remember who we are. I have constant, recurring dreams at night about teaching people how to forgive. I dream about helping people forgive themselves and others—for everything and everyone—and how to let go of all the false meanings they have made, so they can be happy, peaceful, and free.

I can’t imagine how much fear I would have if I believed in hell like this. I have enough fear as it is, even while I know that there is an all-loving higher power, and knowing that myself and everyone is only love. That we are worthy of love no matter what.

I pray we all wake up from our fears. I pray we all realize we are not bad, or guilty, and that we are capable of love beyond what we could possibly imagine. I pray we all wake up and realize our power of thought, and our love can literally move mountains. I pray this message reaches all the children I dream about. This is my life purpose.

In the meantime, I’ll hold this truth in my life and continue forgiving and loving my own fears and judgments—and myself—until they are forgiven and transmuted into love.