The "I Am" issue definitely requires some examination and a descriptive quality. Where would you, Molly, begin to define "I Am"?
As Vam implies, for me, the "I am" is all encompassing. It includes the seer and the seen and the seeing. For me, it also includes the alpha and omega, the beginning and end - that point of creation where Logos is breathed into form. At that point, there is no object or THAT, just me, and all that I am. I am also all that is, subjective and objective. I know that this viewpoint is not shared by all. But I do think it is innate in all. From discussions about Heidegger and Husserl, object and subject, I can see that there are folks that cannot get past the idea that each of us is separate from the other, and it is true, we are. But we are also more. There is more to knowing we are one than just knowing there is something we have in common that we all share. This is a leap that is difficult to discuss without having experienced it. Discussions of the non dual are the closest I've seen. My sleep experience changed once I let go of the notion of self and other, and was able to rest in the knowing that everything that passes through my consciousness, I create, according to a simple design that includes knowing that I AM the creator and the creation. Now, I think that most of my sleep time is spent in those parts of me that I can only describe as pure love. The longer I can stay there, the more the rest of all that I am falls in line with that loving experience. I like to sleep 10 hrs. a night. I hold that space for everyone and all that is I am. Of course, I also have dreams that allow me to problem solve and create, dreams that remind me of the archetypes that hold me near to the many, dreams that reflect my own resistance. I try to pay attention to them all, and recognize the importance in all that they are - and then let them go. Because I am in motion, and more is coming into my experience that reflects all that I am and the possibility of more. I don't want to give anyone the impression that my life is uncomplicated or without difficulty. I think that this is a reflection of my resistance. I feel anger and sadness and joy and love - but don't fall as much into the patterned emotion based on past experience of these feeling as I once did. I hope I will continue to find a more pure feeling for life as time goes on. I find that it is easier if I focus more on the good and less on the "not me" or "what I don't like", although those parts of me are visited too as they reflect my own resistance to me. I have found that if I dwell there and don't let go, I just get more of the same, along with an emotional rush that creates a drive for more - very addicting. In other words, focusing on I am allows me more of that experience of pure feeling. Focusing on I am not, creates the object - I am not that - and limits experience to the states that require an object. I am so much more than that. Thanks for stating your question, Slip, as "where would you begin to define." As you can see, even the beginning is a rambling road. On Feb 4, 8:39 am, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > States beyond the physical senses in dreams are what I base my concept > on. When there is no indication of physical representation (of the > dreamer) within the dream, there is the possibility that the > subconscious has entered the cosmic realm, even if only as a voyeur to > witness an occurrence elsewhere. In this state one can transverse > time and space. I have many dreams in which I only have visual > presence without active physical participation, like I'm just there to > see what is taking place. Aside from other types of dreams, these > visual only dreams are the ones that bring about the questions. The > "I Am" issue definitely requires some examination and a descriptive > quality. Where would you, Molly, begin to define "I Am"? > > On Feb 3, 11:46 am, Molly Brogan <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Those are all wonderful questions, and the answers really require us > > to define "I am". I know from experience, that in my sleep, I enter > > states beyond the physical senses, beyond language, beyond any concept > > of I am. If we are living all lives that have ever been lived or ever > > will be lived simultaneously, there is no other. This, for me, is a > > sleep state, but I am also able to access it while awake. All about > > viewpoint. > > > On Feb 3, 11:39 am, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > I understand Fran and your post indicates your inclination. > > > Freud correlated personality and pathology, related conscious activity > > > to unconscious motivation. Freud believed that as a condition of > > > societal assimilation we repress certain desires and urges which > > > manifested within the dream state, a realm that used symbolism as a > > > means of expression. For Freud dreams were simply a threshold between > > > the Id and Superego. Jung in contrast disagreed with the repression of > > > specific aspects of the consciousness and viewed the unconscious as a > > > spiritual realm with dreams being a portal to the unconscious and > > > served as solution source for our conscious problems. I can see how he > > > developed his concept shadow by viewing reality and the subconscious > > > as sort of mirror images. Still neither Freud or Jung addressed my > > > concept of dream travel in which dreams reflect a third, fourth and > > > maybe fifth dimension of subconsciousness. Alfred Adler and Frederick > > > Perls (Gestalt Therapy) had similar parallels but also had not > > > explored other theories but also remained in the traditional or > > > conventional interpretative circle. > > > > Again, aside from the conventional wisdom, I offer new dimensions to > > > dreaming such as: > > > Was it "really" me in the dream? > > > Was it the subconscious of someone else in "my" dream? > > > Was it something that was happening at that moment in my dream or > > > something that happened in the past or going to happen in the future? > > > Was it simply someone's dream that I intercepted? > > > > On Feb 3, 6:21 am, frantheman <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > Slip. I incline to a more traditional, conventional explanatation for > > > > dreams. I see them primarily as a sorting and organising process for > > > > our consciousness.A lot of what has happened between two periods of > > > > sleep has been (temporarily) stored by our brains, not just > > > > experiences, but feelings, thoughts, memories and memories of > > > > experiences and memories. Temporary connections have been forged. Our > > > > consciousness, however, will not retain all of this. > > > > > REM-Sleep and dreams are part of the process where consciousness > > > > structures this and dumps much which will not be retained. Dreams are > > > > the (more or, more often, less) conscious experiencing of this sorting > > > > out process. > > > > > This is not to deny their importance. Vividly remembered dreams are > > > > signals about things which are really concerning or preoccupying us, > > > > in positive as well as negative ways. They can often guide us to > > > > issues, ideas and feelings which concern us, which are not always > > > > available or clear to our waking consciousness. But we should be > > > > careful, in my view, towards ascribing too much meaning to specific > > > > images or incidents in dreams; they are, by their very nature, a > > > > higgeldy-piggeldy mixture of all sorts, with many co-incidental > > > > connections, very like what would happen if I simply dumped out some > > > > of the drawers I have in my desk, or kitchen, where everything under > > > > the "to be sorted later" label lands, on the floor. There is then, no > > > > significance about the fact that a rubber band has wound itself around > > > > a battery which is lying on a postcard from an old acquaintance, which > > > > I still hadn't decided to throw away. > > > > > Daniel C. Dennett, with his model of multi-draft consciousness, has > > > > some interesting explanations in his writings on the subject. > > > > > On 3 Feb., 10:51, Slip Disc <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > Good to see you back Frank. Thanks again for the interpretation. Try > > > > > the one about the river, the snake, the mountain, the room. Molly > > > > > seemed to have some insight on it. (see below) > > > > > > There are strange occurrences in dreams that leave us in a state of > > > > > awe at times delving deep for interpretation. What usually strikes me > > > > > most in my dreams are situations that are really bazaar and > > > > > unaccounted for in consciousness, the people I've never met and the > > > > > places I've never been. Regardless of the lucidity of dreams, some > > > > > are obviously very symbolic with unimaginable situations and objects, > > > > > like flying, clowns and the transformation of inanimate objects to > > > > > real life beings. I haven't paid much attention to dreams as of late > > > > > due to a Sciatica attack that has had me on heavy medication for the > > > > > past two weeks, I feel like I'm in a daze and can't really function > > > > > well, my equilibrium is imbalanced, my thoughts are fragmented and > > > > > I've lost continuity of focus. > > > > > > Still I value my dreams and try to piece them together. Dreams are > > > > > not part of the real world but a realm all unto it's own. That is why > > > > > I hypothesized on quantum dream travel, if it is not happening in my > > > > > conscious world then it is happening somewhere else. People tend to > > > > > think of dreams as being weird or strange without the slightest > > > > > consideration of how strange the world we live in is. I look around > > > > > and see a world that if represented in someone's dream a thousand > > > > > years ago, would be considered a very powerful dream, weird and > > > > > strange. We take for granted the strange world in which we live. > > > > > Therefore, I must accept the possibility that we are traveling in our > > > > > dreams to a parallel universe or somewhere here within our own world > > > > > via the quantum travel theory. How else could I dream of being > > > > > amongst orientals on a beach with ancient architecture around me, > > > > > another place in another time? > > > > > > I don't know that it would be possible to conduct experiments to > > > > > establish the viability of such a theory as dreams are still not > > > > > available to anyone but the dreamer and totally unique to the > > > > > dreamer's subconscious and unconscious world. I wouldn't say that all > > > > > dreams are connected to the dreamers reality due to the dreams that I > > > > > have had where no physical body was present but just a consciousness. > > > > > In this type of dream I may be connecting to another persons > > > > > consciousness in their reality, or actually connecting to that persons > > > > > subconscious dream state and witnessing that persons dream, again > > > > > regardless of the lucidity of the dream. Remember if you have no way > > > > > of identifying yourself in your dream then you really don't know for > > > > > sure that it is your dream. Perhaps I, personally, was not on a > > > > > beach with orientals but in my dream state I connected with someone > > > > > who was on the beach with orientals. I wonder sometimes if it is > > > > > possible for a persons thoughts, or dreams, to become part of a mesh > > > > > of energy that remains in tack for years only to be received by > > > > > someone later on, in thought or dream form. Like radio or other type > > > > > of wave that travels throughout our galaxy. > > > > > > Therefore when interpreting a dream it must be taken into account that > > > > > it may in fact not even be a dream but a connection to another > > > > > reality, or subconscious. A dream may have absolutely nothing to do > > > > > with the dreamer. Example is a dream I had years ago about jumping > > > > > into a taxi late afternoon, I don't know that it is really me because > > > > > I can't see myself in the mirror and there are no other details to > > > > > identify with, suddenly it starts to get dark and the taxi is driving > > > > > in the wrong direction and suddenly pulls over in a ghetto > > > > > neighborhood. Hoodlums with knives and guns approach the car and > > > > > drag (me) out trying to take my wallet and roughing with me. My heart > > > > > is pounding I start to run, I hear gun shots and wake up, my heart is > > > > > pounding and I'm gasping for breath. > > > > > > Was it me in the dream, was it someone else in the dream, was it > > > > > something that was happening that moment or something that happened > > > > > in the past, or was it someone's dream that I intercepted? > > > > > It is possible that an actual person took a cab and was driven by the > > > > > driver to a place where he could be robbed and the driver and the > > > > > hoodlums were part of a group of thieves? The intensity of the > > > > > persons fear sent massive amounts of energy into the cosmos for me to > > > > > pick up while I was sleeping. However, the first interpretation > > ... > > read more » --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups ""Minds Eye"" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Minds-Eye?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
