Do We Dream While
Awake?
I want to spend the next few posts exploring the idea that
dreaming doesn’t stop when we wake up from sleep. If that’s true, then the
implications are staggering.
If We Only Dream
While Asleep
If we say that we dream only during sleep, then we can be impressed
with the workings of our own subconscious minds which invent these amazing—often
bizarre—scenes that come to us at night. When they’re interpreted carefully,
they can bring us insights into our own behavior patterns, insights that, at
times, can initiate life changes.
If We Also Dream
While Awake
On the other hand, suppose we acknowledge that the same
process of symbol invention goes on in the so-called “objective” world around
us while we are wide awake. If so, then it implies a cooperation and an
involvement of life in our private affairs that is much more thorough than we
usually acknowledge.
Are the events of our waking life dreams? When we do our grocery
shopping or pick up our kids from school, or go to work, are we in the middle
of a dream scene just like the ones we have while asleep?
I believe the answer is yes. Like the dreams we have during
sleep (sleeping dreams), not all of
the events we participate in during the day are important. But from time to
time, something happens to us that leaves a big impression—often unpleasant.
Those are the daytime experiences (waking
dreams) that warrant our attention.
What follows is an example of what I’m writing about. And
keep in mind that none of what I am about to describe happened during sleep.
Background
A successful young career woman had been happy in her job
for several years. But then there was an administration change, and she
suddenly found herself in conflict with her new boss. There was opposition
and heated disagreement. Instead of looking forward to work, she found herself
desperately trying to find a way past the discord. That’s when she had the
following experience:
A Waking Dream
She was driving to work right after a winter storm, and she
was dreading another day of butting heads. Suddenly, her car hit some black
ice, skidded sideways off the road, down a shallow embankment and into a wooded
area. The front passenger side slammed into a tree and was badly dented. The
car—still sideways—then got wedged between that tree, now in front of the car, and
another tree right behind the car. There were no more than inches of clearance either
in front or in back. There was no way should could drive the car out of its
wedged location—even if there had been no ice and no auto-body damage. She was shook up but unhurt. She then realized
that there was no damage to the driver side, and she simply opened her door and
stepped out.
Thoughts
Was this a dream, or just bad luck? Stay tuned!
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