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How might ancient spiritual intermediaries have invoked these types of methods in order to fulfill their social roles?
7 comments:
this an interesting post. I remember a movie in the eighties called Dreamscape. They went into people's dreams to help them to learn how to control their dreams/nighmares. I can see how the spiritual intermediaries like the Shaman could and would use the continuity Theory of dreaming. Because of the dreamy waking life connection; The loop or ever ending circle. So do you even know if you are in the dream or reality?
Sweet dreams if you dare.
Lisa
This article was very fascinating. I am a true believer in the power of dreams to influence your life. I have had many instances myself when I remember a dream and it comes to happen in my life, mostly in periferal ways however. I like that this article gives directions on how to cultivate your dreams and I look forward to giving this a try in the near future.
Bob
I think ancient spiritual intermediaries would have suggested these types of methods to people in order to provide guidance, and to act as a link between people and their inner selves , which are revealed through dreaming. The intermediary would have been able to fulfill their social role by providing assistance in a connection between the physical, human world, and the spiritual (dream) world where the physical body becomes passive, and the spiritual senses are enhanced and experienced.
Lauren Cavanagh
I think the theory that dreams reflect everyday interactions definitely has some validity. There are times dreams reflect an everyday experience, the people in our lives, etc. Also, some dreams are so spectacularly bizarre the fantastic does not even begin to cover the experience. In shamanic practice particularly, I do not think it is such a great leap for shamans and other cultures to believe that a dream serves some sort of meaning, particularly because it sometimes presents our lives in a way that is so startling. And from there, because dreams appear to be 'relevant' and therefore may have 'meaning', I also do not think it is such a great leap to believe that dreams are a kind of message -- all dreams, once that belief that dreams have meaning is established. And one this belief that dreams can be messages is set, I think it actually becomes easier to influence those dreams, because as it said in the article, you have to go to sleep with a clear purpose of exactly what it is you want to dream about. People who would seek a divine message go to sleep with this goal clearly defined in their mind, so it is more likely that they will dream a dream of such nature. This would make it easier for intermediaries to fulfill social roles, as they can adapt to say, an instance where a king asks for spiritual guidance to get an answer fairly quickly.
-- Sydney
Undoubtedly, there are dreams that many people have that reflect parts of their waking life, address concerns and problems, and sometimes even appear to give answers, but as my favorite quote from Dr. Lower's class goes: "the only input to the brain is its own output"
While you are dreaming your brain is still in action, but the resulting dreams are just your brain consulting its own information (meaning that no new information is given or gained, and that most conclusions that are found while dreaming could still be found through conscious contemplation), or your brain is just frantically trying to make sense of the randomly firing neurons in your brain, attaching meaning to random brain activity.
Dreams, their contemplation, and their meaning rely largely on whatever you think about heavily, their information is mainly limited to already possessed knowledge, and their meaning can change to whatever you feel you can interpret it as, with no fixed or certain answer.
In a more mystical society i can see how great importance may be given to these dreams, but i personally feel that an active conscious mind has at least equal, if not greater ability to arrive at answers to life's problems.
-zach
Fascinating comments, one and all. Zach, I appreciate your input from the cognitive psychological angle. Interesting to contemplate the brain as a 'closed system' with regard to dreaming. Obviously, the ancients did not see it that way, as you mention. I imagine many modern folks feel the same way, given the powerful impact that dreams can have.
pdk
I think it is an interesting thought on how to control what you dream but I have always believed that if you try to control your dreams, you will never learn anything from them. Dreams are our sub-conscience mind speaking to us and if our conscience mind gets in the way we stifle a part of ourselves.
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