Dear Professor,

Dreams

The word consciousness permeates our entire life. When we are awake we are conscious, and

even when we are asleep we are conscious except in an alter states of consciousness. It is this

alter state that sleep and consequently dreams takes place. Dreams can sometimes be so real that

one wonders, what are dreams? The several interpretation theories of Freudian, Jungian,

Cognitive and Biological dreams can allow us to decide what we think of these dreams.

I recall one vivid dream of mine relating to my grandfather. Quite a patriarch he was who

wanted all his grandchildren to follow in his footsteps, i.e to be Hindu priests. Of course my

father along with all my uncles are. When my grandfather was alive, he always ensure that we

never hear enough of this fervent wish of his. In this dream, I was all dressed up in my priestly

clothes, and conducting a prayer service. The setting was so beautifully decorated; the altar was

immaculate, all the deities, the flowers were all in place. It was picture perfect, but as I looked up

in the audience, there were no one there. It was empty. Totally, empty and bereft of any

devotees. I remember feeling so dismayed and disappointed, and I started to call for my

grandfather. However, there was no voice and as much I tried to call, no words were coming out.

I was desperate and trying my utmost to get my voice out, but nothing happened. I started to run

but my feet would not move. I was paralyzed. Then suddenly I came to waking consciousness

and I could literally feel my heart pounding, and could feel that feeling of desperation and total

loss that I experienced in my dream. It felt so real.

 So yes that was my vivid dream and what do I think of it? Personally, I think I would classify

that dream into the Jungian theory of dreams. This theory tells us that dreams expresses the story

of our life and our deepest thoughts and feelings that we garner in our consciousness plays out in

our dreams. It technically makes sense of our lives. For me, of course I think of this all the time,

an anxiety of a potential failure on my part at not being able to fulfil the wishes of my deceased

grandfather. I feel he has much expectations of me and I constantly think I would not be able to

be a priest. Thus, in my waking consciousness being able to see my others siblings on that path

and me being so far away from achieving it, plays out in uncensored forms in the mind. As our

chapter lesson text tells us this week, that this is merely the activation synthesis hypothesis, that

this dream is simply another kind of thinking while we sleep. This Jungian expresses the story of

our life as it does my life.

Thanks