Akinosuke's Dream
Many years ago in Japan there lived a man named Akinosuke. He loved nothing more than to sit in his garden under a beautiful plum tree. One afternoon Akinosuke and two friends were sitting under his tree, drinking a bottle of wine and discussing various issues of the day. Suddenly Akinosuke felt very tired and was just able to apologize to his friends before he fell deeply asleep.
During his sleep Akinosuke had a strange dream. He dreamt that he was visited by an envoy from the Emperor. The envoy explained that the Emperor wanted to meet him. Akinosuke was very surprised to hear this news. He was an unremarkable man and was amazed the Emperor even knew his name. Nonetheless he did not want to disobey the powerful ruler, so he allowed the envoy to lead him to the Imperial Palace.
Akinosuke was led into a great hall. The floors were paved with jade and the walls were hung with silk tapestry. In the center of the hall, the Emperor sat on a golden throne. Akinosuke bowed so deeply that his forehead touched the cold green floor. When he finally lifted his head he was amazed to see that the Emperor was also bowing toward him.
The Emperor explained that although Akinosuke was a simple man, he had great respect for him. The Emperor went on to say that he wanted Akinosuke to marry his daughter and become his son-in-law. Of course Akinosuke agreed. The princess was brought into the hall and the two were married immediately. Then the Emperor discussed a certain region of the Empire that was without a governor. The Emperor asked Akinosuke if he would like to become the governor of that region. Of course Akinosuke agreed.
Akinosuke and his new wife moved into a mansion in that region. His position as governor was filled with honor and prestige, and his marriage was filled with happiness and peace. He lived in the region for thirty years and he and his wife had seven children. Then after along and happy life together, his wife died. The Emperor invited him back, but he remained at his wife's grave inconsolable.
Just then Akinosuke awoke from his dream. Upon seeing his old friends sitting under the plum tree. He declared, "Friends, I have just had the strangest of dreams, it was as though I lived for thirty years!"
Akinosuke's friends were amazed. They said, "Akinosuke, you were only asleep for a moment, but during that time the strangest thing happened. A butterfly flew out of your mouth and down into the roots of this tree. It remained hidden briefly and then flew back out of the tree and into your mouth at which point you awoke."
Akinosuke thought for a moment and then announced, "Friends, that butterfly must have been my soul, which left my body as I dreamt. But I wonder were it went."
The three men investigated the roots of the tree and found within a colony of ants. As Akinosuke observed the complex of structures that the ants had built within the roots of the tree, he noticed that one dwelling looked like a miniature version of the great hall in which he had dreamt the Emperor. A little ways off he found a earthy patch that resembled the region that he had presided over. He located a clump of dirt similar to the mansion and just under it he found a solitary ant crying over a tiny mound of sand.
During his sleep Akinosuke had a strange dream. He dreamt that he was visited by an envoy from the Emperor. The envoy explained that the Emperor wanted to meet him. Akinosuke was very surprised to hear this news. He was an unremarkable man and was amazed the Emperor even knew his name. Nonetheless he did not want to disobey the powerful ruler, so he allowed the envoy to lead him to the Imperial Palace.
Akinosuke was led into a great hall. The floors were paved with jade and the walls were hung with silk tapestry. In the center of the hall, the Emperor sat on a golden throne. Akinosuke bowed so deeply that his forehead touched the cold green floor. When he finally lifted his head he was amazed to see that the Emperor was also bowing toward him.
The Emperor explained that although Akinosuke was a simple man, he had great respect for him. The Emperor went on to say that he wanted Akinosuke to marry his daughter and become his son-in-law. Of course Akinosuke agreed. The princess was brought into the hall and the two were married immediately. Then the Emperor discussed a certain region of the Empire that was without a governor. The Emperor asked Akinosuke if he would like to become the governor of that region. Of course Akinosuke agreed.
Akinosuke and his new wife moved into a mansion in that region. His position as governor was filled with honor and prestige, and his marriage was filled with happiness and peace. He lived in the region for thirty years and he and his wife had seven children. Then after along and happy life together, his wife died. The Emperor invited him back, but he remained at his wife's grave inconsolable.
Just then Akinosuke awoke from his dream. Upon seeing his old friends sitting under the plum tree. He declared, "Friends, I have just had the strangest of dreams, it was as though I lived for thirty years!"
Akinosuke's friends were amazed. They said, "Akinosuke, you were only asleep for a moment, but during that time the strangest thing happened. A butterfly flew out of your mouth and down into the roots of this tree. It remained hidden briefly and then flew back out of the tree and into your mouth at which point you awoke."
Akinosuke thought for a moment and then announced, "Friends, that butterfly must have been my soul, which left my body as I dreamt. But I wonder were it went."
The three men investigated the roots of the tree and found within a colony of ants. As Akinosuke observed the complex of structures that the ants had built within the roots of the tree, he noticed that one dwelling looked like a miniature version of the great hall in which he had dreamt the Emperor. A little ways off he found a earthy patch that resembled the region that he had presided over. He located a clump of dirt similar to the mansion and just under it he found a solitary ant crying over a tiny mound of sand.
One of the Thousand and One Nights
Many years ago in Baghdad there lived a man named Mirza. His father had died leaving him a house and plenty of money. But he was foolish and young and wasted all of his inheritance. After spending all his money, he sold his furniture until he did not even have a bed in which to sleep.
So one balmy summer night, Mirza went outside to his garden and slept under his favorite fig tree. Prayering himself to sleep, mumbling, “Lord, Lord, provide for your poor child down here.”
That night he dreamt. And in his dream he heard a voice from Heaven, “Seek your fortune in Samarqand!”
The next morning Mirza woke with a new resolve. He packed what little he had left and set off on the great journey. He crossed deserts and mountain passes haunted by ghosts and bandits. After many months he arrived in the fabled city of Samarqand.
He spent his first day walking the winding streets. But he did not know where to look for his fortune. That night he had nowhere to stay, so he took shelter in a Mosque.
As darkness fell a group of robbers ravaged the neighborhood. When the city guards arrived the next morning they found Mirza sleeping like a vagrant in the Mosque and assumed that he had committed the robberies. So they bound him and led him off to the Qadi.
The Qadi questioned him and Mirza decided to tell the truth, “I am a traveler. I am following a dream, which told me to seek a fortune in Samarqand. I arrived yesterday and just spent the night in the Mosque.”
The Qadi laughed at this story, “You foolish boy. Dreams mean nothing. I had a dream in which I saw a great fortune buried under a fig tree in the garden of a house in Baghdad but I am not foolish enough to leave my home to follow such imaginings.”
And Mirza was set free and allowed to return home.
Dream Interpretation
In Pharaonic Egypt, and in most of the ancient world, dreams were thought to be portals into the spiritual realm. Through their dreams, Egyptians received blessings, healing, predictions of the future, and messages from the gods. Egyptian priests incubated and interpreted dreams.
In the Book of Genesis, when Joseph travels to Egypt as a slave, his skill as a dreamer and dream interpreter earns him recognition and respect. Joseph’s interpretation of the Pharaoh’s dream not only secures him a position as the Pharaoh’s chief counselor; it also saves the country from a devastating famine.
Throughout the Bible, dreams play an important role in accessing the spiritual realm. God announces His covenant with Abraham in the midst of a dark and strange dream. In another stunning dream, Jacob sees a celestial ladder connecting the earth and the heavens. In the Gospels, God’s guidance also appears through dreams. In a dream, an “Angel of the Lord” appears to Joseph (a different Joseph) and tells him that Mary will give birth to a Divine child. In a dream, the Magi (Three Wiseman) are warned not to tell King Herod about the family. In a dream, the Angel of the Lord tells Joseph to flee to Egypt before Herod’s men can find them. And in a dream, they are told that Herod is dead and it is safe to return home.
Many of us have hundreds of dreams each night, but do not remember them the next morning. Sometimes we remember a dream in the first moments of waking but lose it throughout the day. In order to remember and interpret more of your dreams follow these practices:
1. Before going to bed, clear your mind and tell yourself,"I will remember my dream when I wake up".
Having this intention as you go to sleep is very important. Ancient dreamers (such as the Egyptian priest) practiced dream incubation - before going to sleep they would recite certain incantations or perform certain rituals in order to receive specific types of dreams such as healing dream or a prophetic vision.
2. Have a regular sleep time and wake time.
3. Keep a pencil and notebook or dream journal next to your bed so that it will be within reach as soon as you wake up.
4. Upon waking from a dream, lay still in your bed, keeping your eyes closed and moving as little as possible. Wake up slowly. Hold on to the feelings you have and let your mind wander to the images of what you have just dreamt.
5. Write down as many details as you can, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant it may be. Do not judge the dream or worry if it makes sense. Sometimes it may help to draw pictures.
6. Have a friend, teacher, or relative that you regularly tell your dreams to. Learn to share your dreams and talk about them with others. The more often you acknowledge your dreams and bring them into the light of day, the easier it will be to remember them.
Psychoanalytic theorist Carl Jung describes dreams as a window into the unconscious (both the personal and the collective). In them we encounter archetypal figures and symbols. By exploring these archetypes through the narrative of the dream we can learn ineffable truths that lead to spiritual self-discovery.
One of the most compelling types of dreams is the lucid dream. In a lucid dream, the dreamer realizes that they are dreaming and is able to consciously participate in and control the experience of the dream environment. For most people this skill must be actively cultivated.
In the Book of Genesis, when Joseph travels to Egypt as a slave, his skill as a dreamer and dream interpreter earns him recognition and respect. Joseph’s interpretation of the Pharaoh’s dream not only secures him a position as the Pharaoh’s chief counselor; it also saves the country from a devastating famine.
Throughout the Bible, dreams play an important role in accessing the spiritual realm. God announces His covenant with Abraham in the midst of a dark and strange dream. In another stunning dream, Jacob sees a celestial ladder connecting the earth and the heavens. In the Gospels, God’s guidance also appears through dreams. In a dream, an “Angel of the Lord” appears to Joseph (a different Joseph) and tells him that Mary will give birth to a Divine child. In a dream, the Magi (Three Wiseman) are warned not to tell King Herod about the family. In a dream, the Angel of the Lord tells Joseph to flee to Egypt before Herod’s men can find them. And in a dream, they are told that Herod is dead and it is safe to return home.
Remembering Your Dreams
Many of us have hundreds of dreams each night, but do not remember them the next morning. Sometimes we remember a dream in the first moments of waking but lose it throughout the day. In order to remember and interpret more of your dreams follow these practices:
1. Before going to bed, clear your mind and tell yourself,"I will remember my dream when I wake up".
Having this intention as you go to sleep is very important. Ancient dreamers (such as the Egyptian priest) practiced dream incubation - before going to sleep they would recite certain incantations or perform certain rituals in order to receive specific types of dreams such as healing dream or a prophetic vision.
2. Have a regular sleep time and wake time.
3. Keep a pencil and notebook or dream journal next to your bed so that it will be within reach as soon as you wake up.
4. Upon waking from a dream, lay still in your bed, keeping your eyes closed and moving as little as possible. Wake up slowly. Hold on to the feelings you have and let your mind wander to the images of what you have just dreamt.
5. Write down as many details as you can, no matter how small or seemingly unimportant it may be. Do not judge the dream or worry if it makes sense. Sometimes it may help to draw pictures.
6. Have a friend, teacher, or relative that you regularly tell your dreams to. Learn to share your dreams and talk about them with others. The more often you acknowledge your dreams and bring them into the light of day, the easier it will be to remember them.
Psychoanalytic theorist Carl Jung describes dreams as a window into the unconscious (both the personal and the collective). In them we encounter archetypal figures and symbols. By exploring these archetypes through the narrative of the dream we can learn ineffable truths that lead to spiritual self-discovery.
One of the most compelling types of dreams is the lucid dream. In a lucid dream, the dreamer realizes that they are dreaming and is able to consciously participate in and control the experience of the dream environment. For most people this skill must be actively cultivated.