By M. Brandon DeGeorge
Sick. Really sick. Mononucleosis sick. Completely out of it. With a nasty fever...I was so hot at times it seem like every sweat gland in my body suddenly became a small suction pump, sucking all the water out of my body and pumping it onto my clothes and sheets, so that I become immersed in a swamp of wet cotton.
Being sick sucked. It hampered my ability to be free, to do what I want, when I want. It did, however, have one cool side: REALLY WILD DREAMS! There is something about the state of delirium that you can get into during a high fever that unlocks a special part of your unconscious. I don't remember ever being so psyched at "watching" a dream take place. It was the best movie I've ever seen!
Just what is a dream, anyway? It is kind of like a movie, isn't it? Except instead of watching the scene from a totally outside observer's perspective, you're in the movie, too. In fact, you're the star. You're in the lead role, and a host of characters ranging from your friends to strange alien monsters (or...is that just me?) take the supporting roles. Some dreams are nice, some scary, and some are too bizarre to fit description. Whatever their content, they leave a deep impact on us.
Ever wake up right out of a dream? How did it leave you feeling? Happy? Mellow? Content? Depressed? Shaken? Did it affect you for a few days? Can you even remember the dream? No? How come? I don't think anyone really knows for sure (but if someone does know, tell me, I'd like to know!), but I think that we use a different part of our brains when we dream. Call it the unconscious; call it whatever you want. When we wake up, our conscious mind takes over, leaving just a feeling--something that the different parts of our minds share-- for us to ponder.
Some say that dreams are a window into the soul, if you believe in that sort of thing. If you don't, then think of it like this: dreams can be a way of seeing how we perceive certain things. Gee, if that's true, then doesn't that give us some amazing insight? And well, gee, if we can gain insight into ourselves, then can't we begin to make changes to better ourselves. And WELL, GEE, if we can better ourselves, then aren't we well on our way down our road to transcendence? Bonus, indeed!
Siwrnai dda.