Creative dreaming

Most of us take the dream world to be an unreal world, partly of fairy tales and fantasy, and partly of wishful thinking which has nothing to do with the reality of the waking life. To take off to the "dream land" is to enter the land of fairies, angels, and little elves. On the other hand, people who suffer from nightmares will characterize dreaming as a trip to a land of monsters, demons and saber tooth tigers that wait there to terrorize the dreamers and swallow them up.


Either way, dreams are seen as totally devoid of reality. We don't think that dreams prepare us in anyway to deal with reality. In fact, when we see that someone doesn't recognize the problem or the limitations of a situation, we say "stop dreaming and come back to reality."

The truth is that dreams, in the entire history of humankind, have been instrumental in solving the problems that once seemed insoluble, in breaking new grounds, and in coming up with the ideas that the wakeful mind didn't even have the slightest idea of. A plethora of scientific breakthroughs, works of art, and mechanical inventions are products of creative dreaming. Creative dreaming has changed the reality of the waking world. Such is the power of creative dreaming.

Elias Howe invented the lock-stitch sewing machine based on a dream that showed him where to place the eye of the needle. A dream by D. B. Parkinson led to the invention of the M9 Electrical Analog computer, a precursor to the guidance system used in antiaircraft machine. A scientist identified the physical structure of atom through a dream. Otto Lewi won the Nobel Prize in physiology for an experiment that he first devised in his dream.

The book of inventions is filled with epoch-turning ground-breaking inventions that were first dreamed and then converted in to outer reality, often changing the course of humanity and producing a new way of life for all of us.

How is that possible? How could the dreaming-mind solve problems and come up with the creations and inventions in sleep that the waking mind tried and tried and failed? Perhaps, the dreaming mind knew something that the waking mind didn't.

These achievements of the dreaming-mind are not based on pure fantasy, but on a very accurate and comprehensive assessment of the reality combined with creativity unequaled by the waking mind.

In the ancient Greek society, there were shrines where the Oracle (the words or the answer from the divinity), was revealed to the people who came there with a question. One of the most common methods of receiving Oracle, was "incubation," in which the inquirer slept on the grounds of the temple and received answer to his or her question in a dream. It appears that the Greek had learned to make use of creative dreaming to solve the problems of waking life.

To make use of creative dreaming, work with a single minded focus on your goal or the problem, in your waking hours. Creative dreaming is only the pay off for the work you do during the day. Study, observe, analyze, think, reason, and trust your dreaming mind to help you. Ask your subconscious mind to reveal the answer to you in the dreams. If you pray, pray for the answer to be revealed to you in any form or fashion.

A small dream come true

I know many people are sceptic about dreams coming true. But I believe in the power of dreams and I have faith that dreams do come true.
Not the best of evidence, but here's a small testimony.

I have always dreamt of coming on TV. To be seen by a number of people. People who upon seeing me discuss with their family... Hey! I know this guy. He's my relative/friend/colleague... He's a very nice person.
Something like people associated with winners or even participants of Indian Idol or KBC or the like.

So last day, I was on a small 'Pandal Hopping' spree in Haldia on the maha-navami (It's Durg Puja time here) and I saw a Citi-Cable crew recording a small quiz program and then quizzing the one who provided the answer. Oh! I wanted to answer and get quizzed. The questions were no-brainers (to be decent) and almost everyone knew the answers. In fact the show was designed to be a marketing gimmick for two local retailers. But who cares.... So I was there.... popping my hand up after every question.... even though it was hard to understand what the question was ( it was fulltoosh Bengali). But the anchor would never come to me for an answer. But finally my luck kissed me... and lo... she came to me. The question (translated from Bengali)... Who's the brother of Shatrughan? My answer.. Ram, Lakshman and Bharat. Correct Answer. And behold. I was asked to come in front of the camera and tell my name and the answer. Then she quizzed me about my tootifuti Bengali... whether I was a Non-Bengali ( the height of a question)... I said yes. Then she asked me what I felt was special about Durga Puja in Haldia? I said whatever I could manage to say in Bengali... And then she handed me a gift... a nice looking photo-frame. Cut!!

Who cares if only a small number of local people are going to watch the programme. Who cares if non of my colleagues, family or friends are going to watch me on TV. Who cares if my achievement is as insignificant as a grain of dust in the universe... But it's my first TV appearance. Though that's not exactly what I dream for myself. But then.. it's a small beginning.. a small part of a dream come true... Wait for the Big Picture

On my way back home... I was wondering whether I had answered the question correctly.....

The Beautiful Dream

Well... sorry for not writing sooooooooooo........... long. Actually, all these while I was busy chasing my dreams. But that will come later. Right now, I'm going to discuss my long cherished 'Beautiful' dream. Ya, you heard me right, I'm actually going to discuss my dreams with you all.


Like every sensible (aesthetically, that is ) teen, I too had a dream. A Beautiful Dream.


A dream of a dream girl.......... A dream to have a dream girl.
A dream to have a beautiful girl to die for... to love for... to live for....


And here's the catch... why has the girl have to be beautiful? Because... I am a beauty buff. I like beauty. Beauty in all forms.... all manifestations... Beauty of a girl, beauty of nature, beauty of a painting, beauty of prose and poetry.... Every discreet expression of beauty fills my heart with delight. Look at the associated image. I don't know who the girl is. Maybe, some South Indian actress.( My south Indian friends, please forgive my sin) But she is a beholder's delight. I don't know how she looks in real life? For me, the image is the medium of expression of her beauty and I care for nothing else.



The oft repeated cliche " Beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder" may be true in its place. But I don't understand, how a beautiful thing might look ugly to someone or an ugly thing beautiful, unless there is some associated connection of love and hate(Love is blind, remember? and hate??). So for that matter, if the Taj Mahal is beautiful, it looks beautiful to all, whoever is the beholder. Maybe one can find an Aishwarya Rai sitting in front of Taj Mahal spoiling the heritage's beauty (I do) and someone else might find them consummating each other. But there's no doubt(at least in my mind) they both are beautiful in their own right.


I can't define beauty. I'm not sufficiently qualified to define beauty. All I have is an inherent sense of beauty which guides me to my likings and dislikes.

So, what's special about this dream?

Nothing... I never said I had a special dream. I just had a dream, like every other boy of my age has.... Only that, I have not been able to get rid of that dream even now. After so many falls... after so many unsuccessful bouts of wooing a beautiful girl to love for... after so many heart-burns.... this indomitable dream of mine has still not left my eyes..


So,what's wrong?


Nothing... at least I don't think there's anything wrong with it. Except that I am made to believe the contrary. That dreaming of a beautiful girl is a fancy, a fantasy not to be indulged in. That I should not look for an 'only beautiful' girl. "Character", they say, is more important. I don't disagree.
But somehow I feel this: why can't I get a girl who is beautiful, smart and cultured at the same time? Here.......gotcha.....
How Selfish I am? I want everything in my girl without ever reflecting what do I have for such a girl. Am I worth her? Am I worth my dream?
Maybe that's why I've not yet realized this dream of mine. Though I know I have plenty to offer ( I can't start recounting them here). But to be modest, let's say, I don't have much to offer. Then...? Shouldn't I dream?

Hmmm.......

It may be that I myself am responsible for not realizing my dreams. Not that I did not try or put a sincere effort. I did.
To realize this dream.... well, I have done what today I think were foolish.... or childish..... ummh.. teenish... (or may be smart, if only they had turned into a success).
But may be that even if I had had a 'love guru' and made all the right moves, I would still have been, where I am right now. Nowhere near realizing my dream (this specific dream). That's because I never looked at myself before dreaming. Actually no one does. But then, this dream is different. Because it involves owning/getting another person, a live person.... which is not entirely in any one's (except HIS) realms. It's not like dreaming for a car, or a career goal, or a trophy, which is still realizable if one is ready to give more than it takes. I dream of becoming a manager, a business-man and a leader. And realize my dreams I will. But these dreams are not dependent on somone else's deigning to be available to be achieved (won).

That's my 'Beautiful Dream' for you. Your comments (of any hue) are welcome (infact, eagerly awaited).

The First Post

I am a compulsive dreamer. So, it was fairly obvious, that if I have to name my blog, it has to be related to dreams.

According to Oxford dictionary, a dream is a:
1. A series of thoughts, images, sensations, or emotions occurring in the mind during sleep.
2 A vision of the imagination indulged in when awake, esp. one prompted by desire, hope, or ambition; a flight of fancy; a state of mind in which awareness of immediate reality is temporarily shut out.

Accordingly, my blog is going to be a series of thoughts, images, sensations and emotions occuring in my mind (not necessarily during sleep) as well as a vision of the imagination that I indulge in (without the awareness of immediate reality shut off, but that is debatable).

The beauty of a dream is, that it is not bound by constraints. Impossible is nothing. It is a free flow of thoughts, in the true sense. It is the product of a free mind.

So feel free to comment on my dreams. Any sort of comment is not unwelcomed.