The Butterflies of Our Minds

Last night, I dreamt I was writing a blog. Aside from giving me an idea for writing this blog, does that mean anything? Dreams have long intrigued people. They have been used for psychic prognostication, psychological analysis or just good breakfast conversation.

Why do we dream?

No one knows, for sure, why we dream, but there are many theories.

• Sigmund Freud thought that dreams carried our hidden desires. (You remember him; the guy who thought that anything that was wider than it was long was a phallic symbol?)
• Carl Jung believed that dreams had meaning, although not always of desire, and that these dreams could be interpreted through symbols. (He also lived in the same house with his wife and his mistress; fun times!)
• Edgar Cayce said that dreams are our body’s means of building up mental, spiritual and physical well-being. He thought dreams sped up a person’s ability to realize their potential. (He went to sleep to give people psychic advice)
• Dr. Christopher Evans theorized that dreaming is our body’s way of storing the vast array of information gained during the day. (Got nothing on this guy; can't even find his bio)
• Francis Crick (the Nobel prize winner who discovered DNA) and Graeme Mitchinson (the only man on this list still alive) believed that this information is being dumped rather than stored

How has dreaming been viewed historically?

• The earliest reference to the significance of dreams was found in the ancient epic story of Gilgamesh, King of Urk, recovered from the ancient library of Ninevah in Assyria. Assyria was a country that existed from around 2200 BC to 608 BC between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in what is now present-day northern Iraq. Gilgamesh is thought to date from Sumerian poems from the Third Dynasty of Ur (2150 BC to 2000 BC). The Assyrians created special collections of dream interpretations. One of those collections was The Assyrian Dream Book, found by archaeologists on a set of clay cuneiform tablets

“Gilgamesh dreamt that an axe fell from the sky. The people gathered around it in admiration and worship. Gilgamesh threw the axe in front of his mother and then he embraced it like a wife. His mother, Ninsun, interpreted the dream. She said that someone powerful would soon appear. Gilgamesh would struggle with him and try to overpower him, but he would not succeed. Eventually they would become close friends and accomplish great things. She added, ‘That you embraced him like a wife means he will never forsake you. Thus your dream is solved.’"—case closed: Epic of Gilgamesh

• In ancient Egypt, priests acted as dream interpreters. Hieroglyphics depicting dreams and their interpretations have been found and translated. Egypt may have been where the process of "dream incubation" began. When people had troubles and wanted help from a god, they would sleep in a temple. The next morning, a priest, called a Master of Secret Things (awesome title!), would interpret their dreams in an attempt to offer some insights on their problems. (So when Meatloaf sang "Let me sleep on it," he was partaking in a time-honored tradition)
• The ancient Greeks also used Asclepieions (healing temples) to heal the sick. They believed dream incubation could effect cures within the confines of the temple
• The Oneirocritica, or The Interpretation of Dreams, was a five-volume book written by Artemidorus of Daldis who lived in Greece about 140 AD. The first three volumes were an encyclopedia for dream interpretation and the last two chapters were written exclusively for his son who followed him in the family dream-interpretation business. Although Artemidorus believed that dreams could predict the future, he also held some more contemporary approaches to dreams. He thought that the meaning of dream images could be decoded. For instance, Alexander, while warring against the Tyrians, dreamt that a satyr was dancing on his shield. (How often have we all had that one?) This dream was interpreted as: satyr = sa tyros ("Tyre will be thine"), predicting that Alexander would be triumphant. (Did any soothsayers ever dare to interpret failure?)
• Tabir, the Muslim science of dream interpretation, coalesced from the ninth to the 13th centuries. This body of knowledge integrated Islamic faith with the classical heritage of the Greeks and Romans, according to Kelly Bulkeley, PhD, in her essay, “Reflections on the Dream Traditions of Islam.” Ibn Sirin (654 AD to 728 AD) wrote a well-known book on dreams. The work is divided into 25 sections on dream interpretation, from the etiquette of interpreting dreams to the interpretation of reciting certain Surahs (chapters) of the Qur'an in one's dream. Unlike Western dream interpretation, Ibn Sirin taught that a dream’s meaning could not be determined without reference to the personality characteristics of the dreamer. There was no "one size fits all" interpretation for any particular dream symbol; the meaning depended on the personality and life circumstances of the dreamer. According to Kelly, in the Muslim culture, dreams, and the ability to interpret them, are still an important sign of God’s favor. Through dreams, God sends commandments, inspires accomplishment and provides divine knowledge 
• A standard traditional Chinese book on dream-interpretation is the Lofty Principles of Dream Interpretation compiled in the 16th century by Chen Shiyuan. The Chinese were concerned with the implications of dreams for their welfare in this life and the hereafter, according to Richard Strassberg, who translated and wrote the introduction of Wandering Spirits, a translation of Chen Shiyuan’s book. Dreams represented "spirit wandering," which included nighttime interactions with deities, demons and ghosts. Dream interpretation combined shamanic, Confucian, Taoist and Buddhist principles; literary allusions; and common sense. In addition to dream interpretation, Chinese thinkers also raised profound ideas such as the question of how we know we are dreaming and how we know we are awake

"Once Chuang Chou dreamed that he was a butterfly. He fluttered about happily, quite pleased with the state he was in, and knew nothing about Chuang Chou. Presently he awoke and found that he was very much Chuang Chou again. Now, did Chou dream that he was a butterfly or was the butterfly now dreaming that he was Chou?"—written in the Chuang-tzu

• Saint Jerome, a medieval church scholar from Slovenia, became secretary to Pope Damasus around 380 AD. From there he went to Palestine and devoted himself to study and writing. He is credited with shaping the Latin version of the Bible (called the Vulgate) from Hebrew and Greek texts. Unfortunately, Saint Jerome mistranslated the Hebrew word for witchcraft, anan, as "observing dreams" when commissioned to translate the Bible by Pope Damasus. “Anan” appears ten times in the Hebrew Scriptures (the Old Testament), but Jerome translates it as "observing dreams" only three times, in such statements as, "you shall not practice augury nor observe dreams," which more accurately reads, "you shall not practice augury or witchcraft." As a result, dream interpretation was banned, limiting European scholarship on the topic for nearly a millennium. (One could argue that translation is mightier than the sword)
• Alfred Maury, a French doctor, pioneered modern dream interpretation. He studied over 3,000 different dreams and believed all dreams were caused by external stimuli. This viewpoint was inspired by a dream experience he had. He dreamt that he had been condemned to the guillotine. As it fell, he woke up to find the top of his bed had fallen and hit him in the spine at the exact time the guillotine would have struck him. This theory of the unconscious developed into the modern attitude toward dream interpretation
• Probably the most well-known of the modern dream philosophers was Sigmund Freud. His theory was that although dreams may be prompted by external stimuli, wish-fulfillment was the root behind most of our dreams, and that usually involved sex. (Only a man could develop this theory) 
• Carl Jung, a student of Freud for some time, disagreed on the theory that erotic content was the basis behind most of our dreams. Jung believed that dreams reminded us of our wishes, which enabled us to realize the things we unconsciously yearn for, and helps us to fulfill our own wishes. (Like living with two women?) These dreams were messages, Jung believed, from ourselves to ourselves and that we should pay attention to them for our own benefit

Depending upon your cultural and religious background, you may consider dreams prophetic, psychological, philosophical or just nonsensical brain noise. However, regardless of what you believe, one thing cannot be refuted. My dream last night, of writing a blog, undeniably came true.

Skullduggery in Paramus

Recently, my husband came home, very excited, because he was invited to a small gathering of people in Paramus who would be meditating with, and attending a lecture on, a crystal skull from Mexico. Steve was invited because he is psychic. While I am not, I decided to tag along, anyway.

Naturally, the first thing I did when I found out we would be attending this event was to research crystal skulls. That was a bit of a buzzkill. Two crystal skulls, one at the British Museum and another at the Smithsonian in Washington DC, have been determined fakes. The crystal quartz from which they were carved apparently came from Brazil or Madagascar, which were too far from Mesoamerican Indians to legitimately end up in their burial sites. The fake crystal skulls also showed evidence of workmanship with metal rotary blades which, it would seem, were not in use in ancient times.

“Study the past if you would define the future.”—Confucius

However, to be fair, the skull my husband would be communing with was verified as being carved from quartz that is indigenous to the area of Mexico in which it was purported to have been found. It has a more primitive appearance than the highly polished, well sculpted ones that used to grace some of the world’s finest museums. Is it a Mesoamerican artifact? Who knows.

History of the Crystal Skull

Many years ago in the Yucatan region of Mexico, a teacher traveled by bicycle from village to village tutoring the local Mayan people on how to read and write Spanish. Eventually, he moved his family to Mexico City, but he never forgot his old home. Wanting to share the culture of the area, he began organizing tours back to Yucatan, guiding visitors through archaeological sites. As the years passed, his travel business flourished.

Steve holds a smirking Pancho, The New Generation crystal skull.

One day, during a tour to Oaxaca, a mysterious man approached him with a large skull carved from pure quartz crystal. The skull was hollow, about 10” in height and weighed about 15 pounds. Everyone was fascinated by the piece.The man revealed to the tour guide that the skull had been found at a sacred site of the Zapoteca Indians. He had five smaller skulls made out of precious stones and other artifacts. The tour guide acquired them all. For many years, the crystal skull was kept in the private home of the family.

Eventually, the crystal skull migrated to the United States to reside with the eldest grandson, Mario Bojorquez, who inherited its guardianship. Mario and his family affectionately named it “Pancho.” It is also referred to as The New Generation skull. Mario travels around the country giving discussions about the indigenous Mesoamerican cultures of Mexico and crystal skulls.

“Every truth has four corners: as a teacher I give you one corner, and it is for you to find the other three.”—Confucius

According to an ancient Mayan legend, when mankind is at the brink of destroying itself and the planet, 13 crystal skulls will come together with the purpose of giving humanity an ancient message that will prevent it from totally annihilating itself and the world. Good timing! If Pancho is a genuine artifact, then that would make him about 2,500 years old, and the Zapoteca Indians might have used him in ceremonies for creating unity within the tribe.

Meeting Pancho

Our appointment with Pancho was 3:30 p.m. in room 142 of the Courtyard Marriott in Paramus, New Jersey. Not the most mystical of venues—perhaps even tawdry—but that's where we met. Mario showed us to the room where the smiling crystal skull was set up on a coffee table surrounded by dozens of equally gleeful, smaller skulls carved out of various precious stones. Indigenous flute music played in the background.

Steve makes eye contact with Pancho.

Steve and I sat opposite the skull on a couch and stared at it. It stared back. After seeing we were settled, Mario left the room so we could have some alone time with Pancho. Steve placed his hands on the skull and immediately went into a meditative state. He lifted the skull so he could view him eye-to-eye for a while. When he quietly placed the skull back on the table, I thought I would take my turn giving our jovial friend a lift and see what happened. He was surprisingly heavy. Holding him aloft was like hoisting a bowling ball with two eye sockets and teeth. A novice meditator, I closed my eyes and saw a few fleeting images. We were told we could ask him questions, so I did. The answer came in symbols that were not immediately meaningful to me.

“Real knowledge is to know the extent of one’s ignorance.”—Confucius

Steve did a bit better and had full-length, epic messages to relate. Right before our half hour was up, he said he felt like the crystal skull downloaded a flood of information to him, but that it might take him a while to interpet all that he had gotten. Oddly enough, the experience seemed to instill him with a lasting sense of self-confidence and personal peace. I took a few snapshots, wished Pancho well and said good-bye. Mario said it was likely that Steve had had some involvement with the skull in a past life.

Perhaps while Steve was living that life as a Zapoteca Indian 2,500 years ago in the Yucatan, I was hanging out in Zhōu Dynasty China, decked out in a fine silk robe and dishing philosophy with Confucius and his disciples. Or maybe not. No matter. At the very least, paying our propers to a disarmingly grinning crystal skull took us out of our typical Wednesday afternoon work routines—and was other-worldly more entertaining.

Moving Beyond Horatio

"There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."—Hamlet, William Shakespeare

When my late mother-in-law, Connie, was a girl, her mother, one day, told her not to leave the house because if she did, she would break her arm. Her mom, known as Grandma to the rest of us, was psychic—something that ran through the Italian side of my husband’s family. Connie resented her mom always being right, so she went out anyway. Unfortunately, she tripped, fell and broke her arm. Not wanting to give her mother any satisfaction, she tried to cover it up and endured the pain silently through dinner that night. Finally, she confessed, vindicating the prediction.

I know that many people think that psychic phenomena are nonsense. I certainly had my doubts before I met my husband and his prescient family. But when you live with mystics, you begin to soften in your skepticism.

My husband's grandma at age 99, now watching us from the Other Side.

A few summers ago, my husband woke up early one Saturday morning with tightness in his chest. He was having difficulty breathing. That is unusual for him. We decided to get some fresh air at a park nearby. As we walked around a small lake there, his breathing became more labored, so we sat down. His chest pain increased and I suggested a ride to the local emergency room. He resisted, and suddenly at 8:15 a.m. all the pain stopped and he had an immense feeling of physical and emotional relief. We were both happy about that. We returned home and five minutes after we got into the door, the phone rang. It was a family member. She was calling to say that my husband's father had had difficulty breathing that morning, suffered a heart attack and died on the way to the hospital. Time of death? 8:15 a.m. When my husband received his father's watch from the hospital, it was frozen at 8:15. The timepiece had profoundly stopped the moment his father died.

It has been said that everyone possesses psychic ability but some people appear to have a more natural talent for it than others, according to former Harvard professor Diane Hennacy Powell in her 2008 book The ESP Enigma: The Scientific Case for Psychic Phenomena. She says that researchers think that genetics may be behind psychic ability—something certainly borne out by my husband's family. There are also some people, like well-known medium George Anderson, for instance, who develop their unusual abilities after a serious illness or head injury that changes the structure and function of their brains.

"I like to think of psychic energy as akin to radio waves. Even without the radio on, the air is filled with invisible signals from countless radio stations operating on their various frequencies. All you have to do to receive them is to flick the radio on and tune the dial."—John Edwards, medium

Altered brains may have abilities that normal brains do not, Powell adds. Einstein thought of the space-time continuum as a place where all time co-existed. That means that the past, present and future all exist at once. Brains are set up to experience time as a series of linear moments. Hypothetically, without the normal linear constraints of the brain, which may be weaker in psychics, it may be possible to see across time into the past or future.

People have long had a fascination with psychic phenomena. Duke University started a psychical research facility in 1935, which eventually moved off campus where it remains today. The founder, botanist Dr. Joseph Rhine, turned to parapsychology research after his college professor and mentor shared the story of an intriguing paranormal experience. A young couple who lived near the professor knocked on his door—no telephones for many in those days—to ask if he could do them a favor. The woman had experienced a vivid dream the night before where she saw her brother go into his barn and shoot himself in the head. She was so distraught by that vision that she wanted to go to his farm to make sure all was well. She asked the professor to drive them there. When they arrived, they walked into the barn and found her brother just as she had described him in her dream. Dr. Rhine became obsessed with developing a scientific approach to solving how such a thing could happen.

"Ay, there's the rub, for in that sleep of death, what dreams may come when we have shuffled off this mortal coil, must give us pause."—Hamlet, William Shakespeare

Today, the Rhine Research Center is respected as a facility that scientifically conducts parapsychology and consciousness studies. They have unmasked psychic frauds as well as validating genuine psychic events. Many other institutions have joined them, including:

• Boundary Institute - Saratoga, California
• Mind-Matter Unification Project - Cambridge University, UK
• Division of Psychiatry - University of Virginia
• Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab - Princeton University
• Stanford Research Institute International - Menlo Park, California

Additionally, there are numerous labs and colleges in Europe that actively research psychic ability. And U.S. military intelligence communities have taken an avid interest in parapsychology studies since at least the 1950s.

My tactfully psychic brother-in-law.

Now back to my husband's family and what they shared with me when my beloved father died. When were planning his funeral, we decided to call the minister who had led our church congregation when I was growing up. Little did we know, he had long since retired, was well into his eighties and was somewhat eccentric. During the eulogy at the funeral home, the good minister rambled on aimlessly, leaving us stranded with the gradual and oddly amusing epiphany that he was no longer of sound mind.

During his captive monologue, I remember my husband leaning over and whispering that he saw my father standing next to the minister, impatiently tapping his foot. (My father was not known for his patience.) I did not think much of it until my brother-in-law, Tom, called me later that week. He had delayed calling to avoid upsetting me on the day of my father's funeral. He wanted me to know that during the eulogy, he had seen my father standing by the minister, arms crossed, impatiently tapping his foot.

So is everyone who claims to be a psychic, a psychic? Probably not. Does psychic ability really exist, despite numerous frauds? Apparently so. At least according to some fairly prestigious universities around the globe. And that's fine with me. I like the idea that there may be an unseen world as populated and quirky as the one in which we live, filled with a flurry of invisible, opinionated and nosy friends and relatives.