From: Ray Dickenson <r.dickenson.nul>
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 07:00:04 +0100
Fwd Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 09:08:25 -0400
Subject: Dreams Or Interrogations?


Hello List,

For some years, as a sort of science project, I've been
collecting info plus anecdotes on 'consciousness' - which often
comes with similar details of 'unconscious' and 'dream' states,
mostly for comparison or contrast.

The 'consciousness' stuff has been useful, even if a precise
definition seems to be impossible for science just now. That
leaves me with the other stuff, to which I've added some
solicited reports from ordinary stable well-educated folk - to
avoid exaggeration or bias from compulsive dream reporters. Like
all of us?

Amongst the confused mass of dream-types one seems to stand out:
apparent interrogation dreams. Here's an example or two:-

1) A long 'situational dream' with many happenings, involving
known people-types (sometimes even specific individuals), that
the dreamer feels is a 'test' of intelligence and even of
morality. Dreamer can report feeling a bit guilty if 'failing'
too many times.

1a) A sub-set seems almost identical except that small segments
get replayed in 'fast-forward' several times as if giving dreamer
a set of multiple choices on certain questions. Dreamer is
somehow aware that these segments are 'dreams within a dream'.

2) A cine-review or slide-show moving across field of view - many
complex, high detail pictures, charts or diagrams, some richly
color-coded and all with dense intellectual content - almost all
known to the dreamer but some just out of knowledge or
comprehension. Again, dreamer can report feeling elated or guilty
if they think they've 'passed' or 'failed'.

What do you think? Do these represent only internal mind-states?
Or could they be, as they seem, externally sourced tests or
interrogations?


Cheers

Ray D