WHY DO WE DREAM…

"Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet."
-- Victor Hugo

To Sleep, Perchance to Dream -- ay, There's the Rub -- Hamlet

Why do we dream…

To be honest with you.., NOBODY KNOWS!

End of post.., thank you very much.

No seriously.., nobody knows why we dream… There are all kinds of theories, but a definitive answer, as to why we actually dream, has alluded us. One of the earliest theories was developed by Aristotle and Plato (that long ago).., and their theory was that; people dream as a way of acting out unconscious desires, in a safe setting.., because if we were to do so in the real world, it may be considered unacceptable or even harmful to ones health or mortality.

And right up until present day, with all of the understanding we have of so many things, all the technology.., we still have no idea why people dream… The only thing we do know is, most people do it every night.

Even after decades and decades of scientific studies -- ZIP. NADA. ZILCH!

We know (supposedly) that most dreams take place and are better remembered during REM sleep… Some say it is to help the the brain "sort things out" that we are bombarded with on a daily basis. Others think dreams are tied to our emotions.., and since we are sleeping there is no need for our brains to have to focus specifically on one task, so our brains are allowed to wander and make loose connections to things that might be weighing on your mind… And others say, dreams to serve any function, at all.., it is just the brain popping off signals, maybe just winding down after a long day of over stimulation.., and that what you are actually dreaming means absolutely nothing (Boy, I know some people that would definitely disagree with that!).

"Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
-- Edgar Allan Poe

Sigmund Freud believed dreams were a representation of our subconscious.., and whatever we remembered from our dreams could help to resolve psychological issues. A "royal road to the unconscious" he called it.., and that dreams were a representation of our repressed desires -- and since it was Freud, it was all about sex, and sexual desire… And others believe it is a sort of "unlearning" of all the useless things that flood our brains during the day, a cleansing of the neurological pathways, so they are free to absorb the things that we deem necessary…

There is also a theory called the Primitive Instinct Rehearsal… This is where we supposedly practice our survival instincts -- fight or flight, to keep them sharp, in case we need them while we are awake. Or those "sexy" dreams may just be a way to keep our reproductive instincts up to snuff (practice makes perfect)…

Some think we dream, to heal… That dealing with traumatic issues while dreaming is a lot less stressful than while awake -- it's less mental and could possibly give a better perspective, without over-intellectualizing it… John Steinbeck, the writer.., had a theory he called the Committee of Sleep and believed that dreams were a problem solving tool. It is where the saying "just sleep on it" comes from… You know, when you are having trouble coming to a resolution about something, sometimes the best thing to do is -- just sleep on it!

Wisdom of Your Dreams.., Or Not

While dreams have been theorized to help resolve problems, heal, etc. etc.., many people believe they are a connection to the spirit world or your spirituality… There are this that believe that our present state of consciousness is only but a dream… We think we are awake, but it is only an illusion (I guess that's one way to look at it)… Another is.., while we are asleep we get to use all those unused parts of our brain -- for fun… We can be a superhero flying through the air, repelling bullets with the swipe of a hand, while defeating our worst foes…

With the obstacles of reality non-existent we are free to soar… Even though our waking hours might be as boring as watching paint dry, when we sleep or should I say dream.., we can set the world ablaze while saving the beautiful girl, all at the same time. And while all this seems extraordinary and out-of-this-world.., it could help people with a confidence problem, or someone that is having problems socially might feel more at ease, after one of these fantastical dreams…

"All human beings are also dream beings. Dreaming ties
all mankind together." -- Jack Kerouac

By exploring the boundaries that exist during our waking hours, we get to knock those boundaries down and expand the limits we have imposed on ourselves when we dream.., and possibly bring some of that "superhero" character into our reality. Maybe even the chance to become more enlightened.., aware of our present day surroundings without being so distracted by the gazillion things going on all around us, all the time -- and not just with our physical body.., but our higher self. A heightened awareness that follows us from our dreams to reality!

Ancient civilizations, as far back as 5000 BC.., believed dreams were a way of communicating with the Gods.., and even transcribed them on wax tablets. They believed it heightened their spirituality… And although these are just theories.., it seems not much has changed when it comes to understanding -- why we dream.


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