The recent night brought a rich catch: twelve dreams.It was hard to write them all down fast enough before fully waking.
Such abundance doesn't matter in itself. This isn't a sport. But the number firmly underscores that I have no power over my dreams.
On one hand, it was I who saw them, recorded them, and interpreted them. On the other hand, I am merely the registering pen of a polygraph. The signal comes from "out there," passes through me, and creates a pattern.
I can't simply decide to have a particular dream and get one. No matter how hard I exercise my will, what pills I take, or what I read before bed. Even if a dream plays with the events of the day, I can't predict how.
Maybe that's why some people dismiss dreams as nonsense? It's hard to admit that valuable meaning can enter your life whether you want it to or not. The Ego feels vulnerable without control.
Something similar happens with those who see the body as a "machine." A not particularly reliable vehicle for their superior intellect. The idea that the body could be a source of deep insight strikes them as absurd.
Who weakened — or even severed — this connection inside a person? Who created the conflict between mind and body, rational and intuitive, will and desire, Ego and Self, primate and Nature, human and God?
Whoever did it knows his deceptive craft. Inner conflict is, unfortunately, the norm. And how many problems between people grow from this root?
Still, there's no reason for despair. The conflict was artificially created. Each of us can begin building a bridge within.
And all it takes is something very small: warm curiosity toward the Other.
You can start with dreams — strange, yes, but valuable precisely because of it.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
Stuck? Your business grows when you do. I’m your business therapist to guide your shift. See testimonials here. Ready? Book your Catalyst session.