Dreams
Just imagine – one third of our lives are lived in dreams. Yet, we do not pay much attention to this mysterious, fascinating world of dreams. We get so engrossed in our daily activities that we tend to ignore this amazing realm, which, in many ways affects the activities we are so bothered about and thus, they have, indirectly, a profound influence on our lives.
What are dreams? How and why do we get them? Look back and try and remember some of your dreams. Sometimes we dream of the past, sometimes the future; there are emotional dreams, happy dreams, frightening dreams; sometimes dreams send us messages, acting as reminders, sometimes warning us – giving us premonitions of something about to happen. Should we not, then, stop and wonder what really is happening in this strange, vivid world of dreams – that is ‘lived’ as we sleep?
Yes, indeed, this part of our lives that we spend ‘living’ in our sleep is as important as that part that we spend living while awake. Isn’t it magical – this world of dreams! This world that comes alive for those few hours seems so real, so detailed, so true. It is in dreams that we ‘live’ our desires and aspirations, meet people we could never encounter and travel to places we could never reach. At times, people get so deeply involved in their dreams that they even speak and walk while sleeping. How does this happen? Such clear, vivid, real situations – how are they created?
Dreams connect us to people far away, even people who have passed away. In fact, this is the only means by which we can visit and interact with these people, who we can never meet in reality. Maybe, these dreams are a gift from God – His way of letting us communicate with our dear ones who are no more.
Dreams are, truly, a miracle of God. A miracle that transports us to another scene, another place, another time – that connects us to people, to places, to events – that gives us messages, warnings and direction. A miracle, we need to appreciate and pay heed to. Sleep, itself, is a miracle. How do we slowly slip into the realm of semi-consciousness? How do our senses start shutting down? Gradually we slide into folds of deep slumber and enter the world of dreams. The miracle of sleep leading to the miracle of dreams!
We have no control over our dreams. We cannot wish for a particular kind of a dream! They just come to us like a film scripted, produced and directed by the Almighty. Except that He prefers to remain anonymous! It is, therefore, important to understand our dreams and decipher the message He is sending to us through this unique, magical mode of communication.
Sometimes we remember our dreams when we wake up, sometimes only partially and sometimes none at all. Dreams have a great effect on the day ahead – even on our life ahead. A ‘good’ dream leads to a ‘happy’ day, whereas a ‘bad’ dream leads to a ‘not-so-happy’ day. So, dreams do have an important role to play in our daily lives. Another creation of God is ‘memory’ – but here, again, we forget to maintain balance. Memory overpowers us so much that we tend to live in the past – and this, in turn, also affects our dreams.
Scientists and psychologists have tried to study and analyze dreams, coming out with various theories but dreams are much more than just their ‘scientific’ logic. There is actually a deeper meaning behind them. Scientists say that it is the subconscious thoughts that manifest as dreams. I believe that there is a multiplicity of factors leading to dreams. It is not just the power of our own minds but some external, unknown, divine forces acting on our minds at that time as we dream. We, human beings, have been conditioned, over the years, to accept facts only if there is a logical reason behind them – we are always looking for explanations! Let us not look for too many explanations but accept and surrender to the fact that dreams, as everything else, are a gift from God. We should accept this with grace and gratitude – for, at times, dreams are a mode of ‘communication’ from the Almighty. So, let us not ignore this arena of dreams.
All of us are searching for happiness. Why do we chase happiness? Look back – how many precious moments have been spent just struggling and ‘chasing’ our dreams. And yet, happiness dodges us. Happiness and sorrow exist are as we perceive them. Sorrow comes when either we have lost something or when we have been unsuccessful in getting what we were aspiring for. The key to happiness is a content state of mind. Each of us is a visitor on this planet and the biggest certainty is that we will have to leave it. Why spend a life ‘unhappily’ running after ‘happiness’. We need to look within and find out for ourselves how to be happy and content NOW. We should revel in God’s gifts to us – his creations. Let us be grateful for all that He has given us. Let us live this precious life with happiness, satisfaction and gratitude following His messages, walking along the path He has laid down for us. Then our life will surely be full of joy and peace and we will be ready to embrace death when it comes.
