All World
Gayatri Pariwar

The incidents of extrasensory perceptions through dreams have posed interesting problems before the scientists who consider that all the functions of the brain and hence of the mind too, are a result of some biochemical or physiological processing. The potentials of human mind demonstrate that the difference between man and other vertebrates is far more than that between the animals and plants. Human mind is a remarkable expression of the extraordinary evolution of consciousness. Evidences of precognition and telepathy by dreams signify the presence of the supreme cosmic consciousness in the inner cores of human mind. 

If mind were a mere expression of the bio-electrical and physiochemical reactions, its activities of the awakened state should have stopped or changed drastically during the state of deep sleep! Then, one would not have remembered his own identity in the dreams! How could one recognize different objects and the contextual relations so well in the dreams, as one would in the awakened state? What remains active when the conscious mind –– the entity which perceives knowledge through the sense organs and controls the behavioral and intellectual interaction, etc, is asleep?  Is this the unconscious or subtle mind? The experiments conducted in some modern laboratories support the second hypothesis. The distinct patterns of brain waves recorded by EEGs in the awakened, sleeping and dreaming states of the mind provide the basis for modeling and analyzing the activities of brain in the dreaming state.

Dr. Klettman has carried out extensive research in this area of neuroscience.  He has found that the deeper and more stable the state of deep sleep, the greater would be the chances of clear and meaningful dreams. During the last phase of night, surrounding atmosphere becomes cleaner and calmer. In this phase one is more likely to get deep sleep.  Perhaps this is the reason why the early morning dreams often prove to be important.  Dr. Klettman defines dreaming as a natural activity of life like that of breathing.

One might argue that if dreams are reflections of the eternal linkage of the soul with the unconscious mind then why couldn’t everybody experience the supernatural dreams that express transcendental realities of life?  Observations of the scientists like Dr. Klettman explain the reason to a great extent.  Stability of sound sleep is described by their experiments as an essential condition for experiencing thorough dreams. The deeper the conscious (external) mind would sleep, the sharper the reflections of the inner mind could be in this state. Dr. Klettman also points out that consumption of stimulating and spicy drinks or food disturbs the natural pattern of sleep and prevents the possibility of the expression of the natural mind. What one thinks, feels and does in the waking state also has significant impact on his sleep and conditioning of mind.

Research on dreams has gained momentum in Europe - especially in Poland - in view of the popular instances of supernormal dreams that elucidated facts beyond the reach of human intellect and scientific instruments.  The following incident is often cited and discussed in the above context.

Marena was a Polish girl engaged to a young soldier of her town. Her fiancé, Stanislas had come to their hometown on vacation to marry her.  Few days before the wedding ceremony, he got an emergency call in wake of outbreak of war. He had to leave the city of Zarnak and join his battalion at Ameiski. The untimely separation with the beloved one was unbearable to both of them. The heart throbbing pain of separation lived in their memory with the awakened thought of each other.

On the battlefront, Stanislas was once caught in severe attack of the enemy’s army. Hundreds of his fellow soldiers either died or were found missing after this battle. No one could trace his whereabouts either.

It was sometimes in October 1918, when Marena first dreamt that her fiancé is trapped inside an underground canal; there is a candle lit there; he is calling her for help while trying to remove the rocks to find a way out. Marena could not sleep after this dream. Her pulse rate shot up and she felt severe mental fatigue.

Dr. Eugene Aserensky, a colleague of Dr. Klettman has, in one of his research reports, analyzed the effects of body-conditions on dreams and vice-versa. He has found that the phase of rapid eye movement (RAM) occurs about 4 to 5 times during sleep. Sometimes this process continues for hours. It is an indication of an active dream. His experiments also show that the nature of dreams affects the emotional center and the sensitive organs of the body accordingly.  This shows that the soul remains ‘active’ in the gross body when it also traverses (in subtle body) in the limitless cosmic expansion.  Marena’s condition after the tragic dream also demonstrates the sensitive effects of dreams.

One day, in the beginning of 1919, Marena’s mind reached a remote place in the dream. She saw a huge fort. Then suddenly she saw a broken wall in one corner of this fort…. She also recognized Stanislas’ face hidden beneath the debris. Again she felt that he was trying to remove the stones to come out but his efforts go in vain…..  He looked pale; his clothes were torn.  He was praying for help in a meek voice. Marena could not tolerate his agony any more. She screamed! The dream was over. Her mother too was awakened because of her scream.

Marena was in such a trauma that she kept calling for her fiancé. Family members were worried. They called a doctor; also took her to a local church.  The priest and the doctor both described the dream as a reflection of her obsessive love for the missing man. They advised her to adjust with circumstances and engage herself in creative activities.
Next night again Marena had the same dream. The cycle continued for several days. Even in the awakened state, Marena used to talk about it to everyone she met. She also requested her relatives and friends to search for the fort and Stanislas.

Dr. Edwards, who had analyzed and reported this unusual dream, writes, “People thought Marena has gone mad. Even those who sympathized with her could not offer any help, as it was impossible to identify the specific fort in a country like Poland, which is known to be a land of royal forts.”

Driven by some inner force, Marena decided to search the fort on her own and rescue her fiancé. She traveled for nearly a month and visited many forts on the way. At last, she glimpsed a light of hope when she reached the city of Zlota., in south-east Poland on 25th April 1919. A fort on the mountain there resembled the one she saw in the dreams. She shouted in excitement and fainted for a few minutes. Local residents gathered and came forward to help her after hearing the tragic story. A police officer on duty however said – “There is nobody inside this fort. I have been keeping a guard on it since more than a month”. But, Marena’s confidence was unperturbed.

She climbed up. Walked around the fort and found the broken wall. The heap of the debris also was the same as she saw in her ‘by now popular’ dreams. She started removing the bricks and stones in haste…. Some others, who had come there to support her, as well as those, who had climbed up out of sheer curiosity, also joined this seemingly futile attempt. Half of the debris was cleared when they saw a secret door to go inside.  By now they were also able to hear a man’s crying voice. Once the door was opened a bit, a couple of them went in and brought the man out. Yes! He was Stanislas! His clothes were torn; body paled. He could hardly stand. His eyes were unable to bear light after such a long period of ‘burial’.

He narrated his horrifying experience, after being brought to somewhat better condition. He said, he was guarding the Army’s store in this fort when this portion was damaged by the enemy’s bombshells. He miraculously survived the attack and could remain alive so long just with the support of the stock of dry eatables, water and wine kept in the store. Candles helped him locate the things and also kept the hope –– of seeing the real light ––lit in his heart.  His heart was naturally anxious all these days to see Marena at least once before he dies. Perhaps this had connected their subtle minds with the subliminal thread of dreams and made the impossible materialize indeed.

This miraculous incident had made great news in the entire nation and across Europe. It had almost compelled people to accept the reality of the inner cosmic mind and its immense potentials and linkage with the soul expressed in higher realms of dreams. The Officers of the Polish Army too were quite amazed. They allowed Stanislas to take voluntary retirement and join the administrative work.  His marriage with Marena was an occasion of great joy for everyone in the town. 

Mr. M. B. Campbell, Director of Campbell & Co., Richmond, had also referred to an incident that had made him believe in the reality of dreams and their intense linkage with deeper domains of mind. His friend, Mr. A. A. German had told him in London on the 10th November 1947 that a horse numbered 20-20 is going to win the Lachester race. German’s prediction was based on a dream. On the 17th of the same month, the Lachester racecourse showed that the winner was 20-20 indeed. The accuracy of German’s similar predictions was also highlighted in some news papers. 

The linkage of dreams with the invisible or extrasensory domain of life is described as a natural phenomenon of human life in the Indian scriptures. Maharshi Vasishtha states this fact in Yoga Vashishta as ––

Idam Jara Dayam Swapna. Iti Nasyeva Bhinnata |
Satye Vastuni NihaïeÌa Samayoryanubhutitah     ||
–Yo. Va. 6| 2|161|24

Adirurgehi Citswapno Jagradityabhishabadyate  |
Adyah Ratrau Cite¡ Swapna¡ Swapna Ityabhidhiyate ||                   
-Yo. Va. 6| 2|55|7

Meaning: There is no difference between the awakened and the dreaming states. The flow of the impulses of the unconscious mind generates dreams. The awakened state too is a dreaming state for the soul. In both the states, the soul remains the same.