Whenever I am stuck at a boring event where the conversation is duller than dead, I have a secret remedy. I look around the room for someone who is sitting or standing alone. (Sitting is better.) I wander over to that person, and after a few warm-up sentences, I say, "Do you think that dreams mean anything? The reason I'm asking is that I had the most amazing dream recently."
Nearly always, I see those eyes spark awake. Nearly always, my acquaintance cannot help but ask, "What did you dream?" Then we enter a spellbound dialogue. The rest of the room fades away.
Dreams fascinate us at the deepest level. How can it be that one part of us lies unconscious in bed while another part ventures into incredible new worlds? How can we be in two places at once? I remember pondering this mystery as a child. In my own young way, I began to sense that our inner being was greater than we knew, that it existed in many dimensions.
I believe this is the real reason our eyes light up when we talk about a dream. The content itself may not hold high drama. But translating our experience into words helps us reenter the territory of enchantment. We feel a bit of awe, having touched infinity and returned to tell about it.
Throughout the ages, people have revered dreams. "Visions of the night" were believed to predict the future, deliver warning, reveal solutions, and open portals to other worlds. In my next posts, I will talk about some of these rich traditions.
In the meantime, you might want to recall one your more interesting dreams. Not only will you rediscover its original magic, but who knows, you may put it to good use at that next yawning event!
Images by Ellerslie, licensed for use.
