Dreams and the Dreamer

~Dennis Kwiatkowski

When we are dreaming, imagery arises from our subconscious. Some dreams are just a processing of the day’s events. Other dreams may serve various purposes akin to a computer clearing or deleting unneeded files or some other purpose. Still other dreams may have meaning for the dreamer. When I have a dream, for example, with a person in it who is dead, or with someone who played a significant role in my life, such as a mystical teacher, I pay more attention to the dream. It is as though my subconscious uses this imagery to get my attention. I thus pay more attention to the dream upon awakening and meditate on the symbolism in the dream and usually get some useful or helpful information or insight.

A dream may be very vivid and seem to be more than a dream and convey cosmic information. When we have a special dream, it stands out and we know it is different. It pays to occasionally consider what our dreams may be trying to tell us.

This topic naturally leads to a consideration of impressions. As mystical students, we endeavor to develop our intuitive faculty so that contact with our soul can be a helpful source of information and assistance in our lives. We pay attention to impressions we receive in order to do this. Often, the first impression we receive, unadulterated, will be the most reliable.

But it is not always that easy. An impression we receive is just an impression. It is not truth if it is heavily colored by our concepts, our prejudices, our likes and dislikes, our biases, etc.. These things can distort a cosmic impression arising from our intuitive faculty. We may make up a story about the impression we received and we may be wedded to our interpretation. If our interpretation is distorted, and we hold to it, what we think is a ‘truth’ may be something far removed from it—a fantasy—an interesting story but something unreliable in regards to accuracy.

One problem is that intuitive impressions are subtle. We have to learn to discern or distinguish between something we are receiving in a pure form and something we are distorting through invention or the particularities of our personality. The impressions may seem the same to us—the pure one and the distorted one—but they are as different as night and day.

In addition, cosmic insights, cosmic revelations will never coerce, insist, frighten or sit in harsh judgement. When these elements are present in an impression or vision we should question the reality of what we are receiving for it is more related to ego and control than to cosmic influx.

This doesn’t mean an impression or cosmic insight will always be pleasant. As an example, to someone who is highly prejudiced, receiving an impression that is more balanced, fair, expansive, and insightful may be unpleasant to that person—especially when they want to hold on tightly to their rigidly held view. But the insight isn’t any less useful or helpful just because it isn’t heeded or considered.

All of us carry wounds within us—wounds from our experiences in this life and from past lives. Rumi states: “The wound is the place where light enters.” If we only stick with our preconceived biases and beliefs, we can’t let the light enter to give insight about that wound and to heal it.

This reminds me of another Rumi quote: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” As we know, it is more satisfying to the ego to point out what we think is wrong with others than to change these things in ourselves. But it is part of what we are here to do. As we polish our mirror of personality or self so that it more accurately reflects the pure brilliant light of the soul, it may take a little effort. But Rumi has an answer for that as well: “If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?”

All progress is not endless effort and drudgery. Discipline should be helpful, not horrible. This interesting time that we live in is also a time to simply be yourself—to be who you are—to share who you are.

The more clearly we see the world, the more accurately we perceive things, and the more it helps others to do the same. When it seems so difficult to make a positive meaningful impact upon today’s intense world, realize that just seeing things clearly, being a stand for this, outwardly if you are so inclined, or even if just within the clarity of your own mind, helps the world progress more than you know. A helpful petition at this time may be to ask the source within you to make of you a blessing to everyone you meet, everyone you are involved with, everyone with whom you come into contact.

May we see people everywhere sharing who they are, who they truly are within the depths of their soul, their highest expression, and receiving insights and the influx of divine energy so as to truly manifest as a blessing for the betterment of our planet.