I dreamed I was a butterfly, flitting around in the sky; then I awoke. Now I wonder: Am I a man who dreamt of being a butterfly, or am I a butterfly dreaming that I am a man?
Zhuangzi
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Welcome to my musings.
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I had a very unusual experience Thursday night, one that has kept me curious all day. I seek your thoughts and opinions about it.
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on." Shakespeare
I woke up in the middle of the night because the phone had somehow fallen off its cradle and was beeping. I got up and put it back but saw a light on it that told me someone might be calling. I pushed the button and said "Hello." A voice said "Hi, it's David." I recognized the voice of my friend David in Vermont. I looked at the clock. It said 2:30 a. m. I know David well and knew that he wouldn't be calling me at 2:30 in the morning to chat, but he said no more and I got a dial tone. I hung up the phone and when I did I realized that I had probably dreamt the whole thing. I acknowledged that it was a dream and decided I should probably just go back to bed. It was then that I woke up.
Row, row, row your boat
Gently down the stream.
When I woke up I was lying in bed. The whole thing had been a dream. I dreamt I heard the phone buzzing, I dreamt getting up, picking up the phone, hearing David's voice, checking the clock and hanging up the phone. I even dreamt that I had accepted it as a dream and should return to bed. In other words I dreamt that I was dreaming. My dreaming was part of my dream. I dreamt that I was dreaming. A dream was what my dream was about.
"They are not long, the days of wine and roses:
Out of a misty dream
Our path emerges for a while, then closes
Within a dream." Ernest Dowson
That event poses two questions to me:
1. Is it possible that some life experiences we have which we identify and acknowledge as reality are actually dreams? and
2. If so, is it possible that realizing them as dreams and acknowledging them as such would be sufficient to wake us up?
I'm not talking about somnambulism, or fast forgetfulness (whatever that's called) but actual seemingly wide awake events which seem to be true but are not. A mirage of the mind.
Merrily, merrily , merrily , merrily,
Life is but a dream.
Have you ever had an experience like my dream? If so, and even if not, what do you make of it? (And don't tell me I'm crazy, because I already know that.) I would really like to know what you think.
Sincerely, DB
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10 comments:
How odd that you would post this, D. On my list of things to write about is a similar experience I had this week. That will probably be tomorrow's entry.
It's very disconcerting.
Beth
Very interesting dream DB. That is not very common but it happens. Many moons ago I had such a dream of dreaming and also one of an out of body experience. Maybe David was dreaming that he was calling you. I find these days that my dreams are better than the movies on TV.
You should write David a note and ask him if he had a dream about calling you. Very interesting....I've never had an experience like that. Linda in WA
Yes I did, once a very long time ago. It was most disturbing.
I do have the most weird dreams but most of them I can never remember when I wake up ~ but I have had one of a dream in a dream ~ very odd feeling when you do actually wake up ~ Ally x
mm... interesting question. Could be this is all a dream, if we create our reality then I guess it is. I have had dreams like that but I dont remember them specifically. I often think about people just as they're about to call me. I notice it first by the burning on my ears, seems like the old proverb is right!
Have a great weekend.)
Very interesting and I had a similar experience many years ago. I felt my dreams were trying to tell me something as it continued nightly for a long time.
Hugs, Rose
Some of my life I would be happy about dreaming, but some would be more of a nightmare. I have not experienced what you did, but I have had some very vivid dreams. My daughter asked me the other day of she had talked to me last night or did she dream it. LOL. I just read Beth's entry. You two are kindred spirits I think. Sweet dream!
Hugs, Joyce
Interesting ... I liked the Zhuangzi quote. Kafka's 'The Metamorphis' is somewhere in that one ...
For me, stuff like this are spread the breadth and length of my life. I have always thought that if I could but properly interpret them, I would find myself along the way.
My desire to move to Nebraska is fuel by such notion. Given what is going on with me, had this not been part of my consciousness already, then if someone thought I was losing my remaining touch on reality, they'd not be far off.
Many times, I have been asked about my choices, and how I came about them. They have many times, 'came' to me, as if they were sent, and I cannot explain the better ones. Some of my less than good choices almost always have been the result of 'reasoning' which has let me down.
There is something to your dream, and the key is how you interpret it. I don't think that life sends messages to hurt, maybe to warn, and more than likely to be a benefit to us.
We all are butterflies dreaming that we are men ... only when we think that we have achieved awarness, does the agony of reality comes into play.
I sometimes hear the telephone ring in my dreams, and I really DO awake and get up to answer it. Of course I only get a dial tone. Silly me. This happens usually when I am stressed out about something or someone.Or, if I'm overtired.
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