第4章

Sinceitisimpossibletofindamantwiceinexactlythesamementalstate，itisequallyimpossibleforhimtodreamthesamedreamtwice；therefore，itisonlypossibletoapproximatedreaminterpretationbyclassingthemintofamilies。ThisIhaveattemptedtodoinamorecomprehensivewaythanotherwriterswhohaveprecededme。 Allmenareacquaintedwithhealthandsickness，loveandhate，successandfailure。Sickness，hateandfailurebelongtokindredfamilies，andoftenallytheirforcesinsuchawaythatitishardtosaywhetherthedreamerwillfailinlove，healthorsomebusinessundertaking。 Butatalltimesabadsymbolisawarningofevil，thoughthatevilmaybeminimizedorexaggerated，orviceversa，accordingassignsaregood。 Thus，ifthedreamsymbolindicateswealthorfortunetothepeasant，hiswakinglifemaybegladdenedbyreceivingorseeingafifty-centpiece，orfindingassuringwork，whilethesamesymboltoawealthymanwouldmeanmanydollars，orafavorableturninaffairs。 Itisthesameinphysicallife。Amanmayhearthesoundofawagon。Hecannotdeterminebytherattleofthewheelswhetheritisladenwithlaundry，groceriesordrygoods。Hemayjudgeastoitssizeandwhetheritisbearingaheavyoralightburden。Whenitobjectifieshewillbeabletoknowitsfullimportandnotbefore。Sowithdreamsymbols。 Wemayknowtheyarefraughtwithevilorgood，asinthecaseofPilate’swife，butwecannottelltheirfullmeaninguntiltheirreflectionsmaterializebeforetheobjectivesense。 Deathismorefrequentlyforetoldbydreammessagesorvisions，asexplainedinanotherpartofthischapter。 Duringsleepthewillissuspended，leavingthemindoftenapreytoitsownfancy。Theslightestattackofanenemymaybeforetoldbytheunbridledimaginationexaggeratingthementalpictureintoamonstroussharkorsnake，when，indeed，amuchlessportentoussignwascastfromthedreammold。 Awomanmayseeaserpentinwakinglifeandthroughfrightlosereasonorself-control。Sheimaginesitpursuesher26 wheninrealityitisgoinganoppositedirection；inalikewaydreamsmaybemanytimesunreal。 Themindlosesitsreasonorwillinsleep，butasuper-sensitiveperceptionisawakened，and，asitregainsconsciousnessfromsleep，thesoundofaknockonthewallmaybemagnifiedintoapistolshot。 Thesleepingmindisnotonlysupersensitiveastoexistingexternalsoundsandlight，butitfrequentlyseeshoursanddaysaheadofthewakingmind。 Noristhiscontradictorytothelawsofnature。Theanthousedinthedepthoftheearth，awayfromatmosphericchanges，knowsoftheapproachoftheharvest，andcomesforthtolaybyhisstore。 Inalikemanner，thepetsquirrelisabetterbarometerofthelocalweatherthantheWeatherBureau。Withunerringforesight，whenawintryfrownnowheremarsthehorizon，heisabletoapprehendacoldwavetwenty-fourhoursahead，andbuildhishouseaccordingly。 Soinsleep，mandreamsthefuturebyintuitiveperceptionofinvisiblesignsorinfluences，whileawakehereasonsitoutbycauseandeffect。Theformerseemstobethelawofthespiritualworld，whilethelatterwouldappeartobethelawofthematerialworld。Manshouldnotdependaloneuponeither。Togethertheyproclaimthemaleandfemaleprincipleofexistenceandshouldfindharmoniousconsummation。 Inthismanneronlycanmanhopetoachievethatperfectnormalstatetowhichthebestthoughtofthehumanraceisaspiring，wherehecancreateandcontrolinfluencesinsteadofbeingcreatedandcontrolledbythem，asthemajorityofusareatthepresentday。 God，thehighestsubjectivesourceofintelligence，mayinadreamleaveimpressionsorpresentimentsonthemindofman，thehighestobjectivesourceofintelligence。 Thephysicalsunsendsitslightintothedarkcornersoftheearth，andGod，theSpiritualSun，impartsspirituallightintothepassiveandreceptivesoul。 Man，byhidinginacave，orclosingthewindowsanddoorsofhishouse，mayshutoutallphysicallight；sohemaysteephissoulinsensualdebaucheryuntilallspirituallightisshutout。 Justasthevitalessenceofthesoil，themotherofnature，27 maybeextractedbyabuse，eitherfromomissionorcommission，untilneitherthelightofthesun，northemoistureoftheheavenswillwaketheflushoflife，somaythespiritualessencebedeadenedwhenthesoilofthesoulisfilledwiththeagedandmultiplyingweedsofravishingmateriality。 Thedreammindisofteninfluencedbythewakingmind。 Whenthewakingminddwellsuponanysubject，thedreammindismoreorlessinfluencedbyit，anditoftenassiststhewakingmindinsolvingdifficultproblems。Thepersonalfuture，embodiedintheactivestatesoftheuniversalmind，mayaffectthedreammind，producingpremonitionsofdeath，accidentsandmisfortune。 Theobjectivemindrejoicesorlamentsovertheaspectsofthepastandpresent，whilethespiritualmind，strivingwiththepersonalfuture，eitherlamentsorrejoicesovertheprospectiveconditions。 Oneisthebarometerofthepast，whiletheotheristhebarometerofthefuture。 Ifwestudycarefullythespiritualimpressionsleftuponthedreammind，throughtheinterpretationsofthisbook，wewillbeabletoshapeourfutureinaccordancewithspirituallaw。 Thusourtemporaleventswillcontributetoourspiritualdevelopment，andinturnourspiritualknowledgewillcontributetoourtemporalwelfare。Withoutthisharmoniousinteractionofthetwogreatforcesinman，theDivineplanofdestinycannotbereached。 Thiscanonlybeaccomplishedthroughthematerialmindorreasondominatingtheanimalemotionsoftheheart。Inthiswaywewouldnotcovetourneighbor’sgoods，orgrowangrywithourbrotherovertrifles。 Thehousevacatedbytheselfishappetitesoftheworldwouldbefilledwiththewhispersofspiritualloveandwisdomnecessarytothemutualwelfareanddevelopmentofbodyandsoul。 Thetheoryusedinthisbooktointerpretdreamsisbothsimpleandrational。Bytheusingofityouwillbesurprisedtofindsomanyofthepredictionsfulfilledinyourwakinglife。Wedealwithboththethoughtandthedream。Thethoughtorsignimpliedintheobjectdreamedofandtheinfluencesurroundingitarealwaysconsideredintheinterpretation。 Thoughtsproceedfromthevisiblemindanddreamsfromtheinvisiblemind。Theaveragewakingmindreceivesand28 retainsonlyafewofthelessonsoflife。Itislargelyfilledwithidleandincoherentthoughtsthataresoonforgotten。Thesamemaybetrulysaidofthedreammind。Manyofourdaythoughtsaredaydreams，justasmanyofournightdreamsarenightthoughts。Ourdaydeedsofevilorgoodpierceorsoothetheconscience，justasournightsymbolsofsorrowandjoysaddenorpleasetheobjectivesenses。Ourday’sthoughtsarefilledwiththewarningsandpresenceoftheinnermindandournight’sthoughtsaretincturedandoftencontrolledbyourexternalmind。 Somewriterhassaid：“Everythingthatexistsuponearthhasitsetherealcounterpart。”Christsaid：“Asamanthinkethsoishe。” AHinduproverbsays：“Manisacreatureofreflection；hebecomesthatuponwhichhereflects。”Amodernmetaphysicistsays：“Ourthoughtsarerealsubstanceandleavetheirimagesuponourpersonality，theyfillouraurawithbeautyoruglinessaccordingtoourintentsandpurposesinlife。” Eachevilthoughtoractionhasitspursuingphantom，eachsmileorkindlydeeditsguidingangel，weleavewhereverweignoblystand，atombandanepitaphtohauntusthroughthefurnaceofconscienceandmemory。 Closelyfollowinginthewakeofourmultiplyingevilthoughtsarearmiesoftheseghastlyspectrespursuingeachotherwiththeexactintentsandpurposesofthemindthatgavethembeing。Ifweconsiderwellthesefactswewillbeforcedintothinkingourbestthoughtsatalltimes。 Thoughtsarethesubjectiveandcreativeforcethatproducesaction。Actionistheobjectiveeffectofthought；hencethecharacterofourdailythoughtsismakingourfailureorsuccessofto-morrow。 Theimpersonalminddealswithalltimeandthingsaseverpresent。Theobjectivemindisconstantlystrivingtopenetratethespiritualrealm，whilethespiritualmindisstrivingtoentermatter，henceouractionshavetheirsubjectivecounterpartsandtheirsubetherealcounterparts。 Theuniversalmind，inharmonywiththeevolutionaryplansandlawsofthemacrocosms，materializesthroughfunctionsofthemicrocosm，impartingtoeach，withitsroutineoffailureandsuccess，itsdailyobjectivity。 Theinnerorpassivedreammindmayperceivethesubjectivetypesorantitypesmanydaysbeforetheyobjectifythroughthemicrocosm。Theirmeaningisoftenwraptinsymbols，butsometimestheactualasitoccursinobjective29 lifeisconveyed。Ourownthoughtimageswhichhavepassedbeforetheobjectivemindmaybeperceivedbytheclevermindreader，butthoseantitypeswhichareaffectingourfuture，butwhichhavenoneotherbutsubjectiveexistence，arerarelyeverperceivedbyanyoneexceptbythepowerofthehigherselforthespiritwithin。Forthisreasonweareenjoinedbythesagestostudyself。Withthephysicalmindweonlyseephysicalobjects，withthesubjectivemindweseeonlysubjectiveobjects。ThiswasPaul’sdoctrineanditisthebeliefofthebestpsychicthoughtofthiscentury。 Bymeansofourreason——anobjectiveprocessfordiviningthefuture——aidedbymathematicalandgeographicaldata，wemayoutlinethestormcentersandthepathoftheraindaysbeforetheyappearincertainlocalities。 Aftereliminatingallcontingenciesarisingfromclericalerrorandcounteractinginfluence，theprognosticationissureoffulfilment。Forcenturiesaheadtheastronomerforetellstheeclipseofthemoonandthesunandthearrivalofcomets。Hedoesnotdothisbycrossingtheborderlanddividingthespiritualfromthephysicalworld。Inalikemannerthesubjectiveforcesoperateupontheirownplanesandknowverylittleevenoftheirowncorporalrealm，justasourphysicalsensesknowlittle，ifanything，ofthesoulorspiritualhabitation。Theyknowthatbygrosslivingthesenseofconsciencemaybedulled，orthatbyrightlivingitmaybestrengthened。Inlikemannerthesubjectivemindperceivesbyitsownsensescertaininvisibletypesofevilseekingexternalmanifestationsinthemicrocosm。Itknowsthattheseformsoferrorwillworkharmtotheobjectivemind，andthatifpersistedintheywillpervertallintercourseorinterchangeofcounselbetweenthetwofactionsoftheman。Inthisthereisnospiritualperceptionofphysicalobjects，anymorethanthereisinmundanelifeasenseperceptionofspiritualimagesandantitypes。Theformeronlyseestheformsthatmanifestonitsplane，whilethelattercannoteonlythosecommontoitssphere。Eachmayrecognizeandfeeltheviolenceorgoodthatthesemanifestationswilldototheirrespectivecounterparts，butwehavenoreasontobelievethatnormalobjectiveorsubjectivestateshavevisionalpowersbeyondtheirownplane。Themindofmanactinguponthemindofthemacrocosmwillproduce，accordingashethinksoracts，antitypesofgoodorevilintheimaginationoftheworldwhichisreflecteduponthespiritual30 auraofthemicrocosmprevioustotakingoncorporalform。Whileinthisstatetheymaybeperceivedbysubjectivity，andthustheimagesseenareimpressedonthedreammindduringsleep，oronthepassivityoftheobjectivesense。 Evilorrighteousactsrecentlycommittedwillmoreacutelyaffectthepresentwakingmindthanthoseenactedatamoreremoteperiod。 Inasimilarwayfuturedisasterorsuccesswhichissoontooccurwillimpressthedreammindmorevividlythanthosewhicharetotranspireatalaterdate。Butinthelivesofallmentherearepastincidentswhichtheywillneverforget，andwhichwillneverceasetofilltheirheartswithprideorremorse。So，too，intheirdistantfuturethereareimportanteventstotranspirewhicharestrugglingthroughtumultuousinfinitudetoleavetheirghastlyorsmilingimpressuponthedreammind。Ifyourmentalstatesarepassiveyouwillreceivethewarnings。Therearecasesonrecordwhichshoweventshavebeenforecastyearsaheadoftheiroccurrence。 Wedonotclaimthatthisbookwillproveaninterpreterofalldreams，orthatthekeysdisclosedwillopentoyouallthemysteriesofthefuture，orevenallthosesurroundingyourownpersonality，butbystudyingthedefinitionsandtheplaneuponwhichtheywerewritten，youwillbeable，throughthepowerofyourownspirit，tointerpretyourowndreams。Thecombinationofdreamanddreaminfluencesareasinfiniteasthestars，orthecombinationofthoughtandnumber。Theycanonlybeclassedandconsideredassuch。Theycannotbeanalyzedindetailorasawhole。Inmathematicswehaveninedigitsfromwhichaninfinitevarietyofcombinationsmaybeformedandsolvedbythedeductionofthemind。