In “The Alchemist” by Paul Coelho, the alchemist—a wise man giving guidance to
Santiago, the boy who is travelling the world in search of a treasure—tells him about
the importance of listening and talking to his heart. He says on page 137; “Tell your
heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has
ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams, because every second of the
search is a second’s encounter with God and with eternity.”

The book focuses on the importance of listening to one’s inner guidance and
following one’s dreams and being happy. As we read on the same page: “…all
people who are happy have God within them.”

This brings to mind Lesson 103 of A Course in Miracles (ACIM): “God, being Love, is
also happiness.” In that lesson we are told: “Happiness is an attribute of love. It
cannot be apart from it. Not can it be experienced where love is not. Love has no
limits, being everywhere. And therefore joy is everywhere as well.”

Following our dreams means listening to our hearts. If we are stuck in a job we
dislike or in a relationship that is no longer working or if we are afraid of what people
think or say about us, we are not listening to our hearts, and we will not be happy. In
such situations we need to have the courage to move on. Listening to our inner
guidance (our hearts) is the way to do that. One of the key themes of ACIM is the
importance of following our inner guidance.