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Dec. 27, 2004 Dreams...dismissed as the mind at play while we sleep, disjointed, non-sensical, electrical firings of our brains that doesn't automatically stop just because we nod off. Also, a subject with many books and articles on dream symbology, interpretation, deeper meaning, and how they affect our daily lives either by impelling or compelling. I personally feel we have choice, but that dreams like any other tool - and yes, I feel they are a tool which can be learned to help problem solve in the waking world. How many of us have struggled over a problem, tossing and turning, finally settled into the REM state, only to awaken with the sense of "EUREKA!" and the answer to what we were struggling with came to us through a gentle nudge in the dream state? Differing philosophies, meditations, contemplations, and affirmations encourage the exploration of our dreams, as they are highly personal and seem to be as unique as each individual dreamer. (With some exceptions, being not dreams, per se, but nightmares, say of common phobias, i.e. sharks, or snakes, or some kind of danger.) In my life I have met many who have claimed in the dream state they found answers to the problems ranging from job changes, money worries, to life threatening situations, such as to go get a check up and found out in time, they needed medical attention. Also, I have shared such experiences, in that through dreaming, I have overcome fears that plagued me in my childhood, led me to make certain moves across country to a better job and/or meeting a friend who seemed as if I'd known them all my life. Fascinating to me, too, is that some people have shared they only dream in black and white (while I myself do not share the absence of color in my dreams; mine are quite vivid,) and that animals appear to dream as well. The REM state, or "Rapid Eye Movement," state, is a state when one is dreaming, and deeply relaxed. If you have ever watched a partner or checked on a sleeping child and seen their eyes moving rapidly, their deep breathing and they didn't move...almost as if they were present physically, but in quite a different place while dreaming. Children seem too, to be quite uninhibited in sharing what they dreamed and can describe often in detail, clarity, beauty and the calm they felt in that state. Some adults seem to have more trouble both achieving this state and also, talking about it. (some adults seem more apt to either not reach this state, due to sleep problems and don't feel rested, or are more reticent to discuss their dream worlds.) I would propose that each dreamer has his/her own dream worlds and can explore, create and travel through their dream worlds learning more about themselves, their past, present and future, if they are open to it. One can only know though by trying for one's self whether or not this is true for them, thus requiring they be open to perhaps reading on the subject, keeping a dream journal, (much like a regular journal, only specifically devoted to what they remember from their dreams,) and allowing themselves to be open to the possibilities that dreams aren't just the mind at play while they are physically asleep. Dreams appear to have many forms, as both interview and reading seems to bring up the experience of remembering dreams,(a deja vu, type dream,) flying dreams, warning dreams, and of course, inspirational dreams. In speaking with those who pray, meditate, or contemplate - whichever word you feel comfortable with - seems that those who practice this before sleep, sound to have the most lucid dreams. It would seem there is a connection to focusing the heart and mind to our inner worlds before drifting into them, where dreams then seem to be less disjointed and contain more portent type information that becomes helpful to the dreamer. Light and sound appear frequently in the dream state, too. Subjects in interviewing can describe vividly their surroundings, the sound, the light, and how those aspects were comforting to them, and seemed to guide them to new realms of discovery, answers to questions they had been trying to resolve, and/or opened new doors of inquiry and guidance for them. How spiritual are dreams? It would seem that depends on the evolution of the dreamer. (Here I would like to thank those lucid dreamers who spoke with me about their experiences. Note, they came from many spiritual backgrounds and practices. They were all just open-minded, was the thing they shared. Nor did they dismiss the dream state. They seemed happy and embracing of this state as a beautiful, loving, experiential tool that guided them to living their lives more fully.) As a gentle example, books on dreaming I would recommend, would be any by Harold Klemp on the subject. He seems to have a comprehensive, and non-pushy way about this subject. He teaches seminars on this and has tapes as well on the subject. As the song implores you to do: "Dream On..." ------------ About the author: Phoenix Morric is a published poet, ezine columnist, WWW.Poetry.com finalist, finishing her first novel and seeking an agent. All queries, comments, please direct to: PMorric88@msn.com. Serious only, please. http://profiles.myspace.com/users/7934995 is also a site with my poetry and an interview of The Indigo Girls I recently did in July. Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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