Prediction magazine: Sleeping and Dreaming and Other Levels of Consciousness
70In the zone
I’ve just woken up.
I’m a perennial insomniac so sleeping is an issue for me. Sometimes it’s hard to know whether I’ve been sleeping or not.
I’ll be lying awake, tossing and turning, and I’ll think, “I’ve been here for an hour at least, and I still haven’t got to sleep.”
But then I look at the clock and several hours have passed, which means that somewhere in amongst all that frustrated tossing about some real sleep had actually occurred. I just never remembered it, that’s all.
There are a number of levels in sleep. The first is the deep, dreamless sleep necessary to repair the body and ease the mind. After that is the chaos of dreaming, with lots of clutter and noise and a million things happening all at once. Then comes symbolic dreaming, where the events of the dream take on a highly-charged mythological quality, as if you were living in the time of legend. Dreams such as these always seem to signify something important in your life, like a message from another time, another place, another part of yourself.
Finally there is lucid dreaming, where you wake up in the dream and have control over what’s happening. My immediate instinct then is to leap from my body and go soaring in the air. I usually return from the lucid dream world with a sense of intense excitement, a feeling of wonder.
We tend to think that there’s just two levels of consciousness: waking and sleeping. But, while we acknowledge the complexity of sleep, we are less inclined to think that there might be other levels of wakefulness too.
And yet there are. Even in normal life there are varying degrees of consciousness, from being half-awake first thing in the morning, to everyday consciousness - which is generally just enough to stop you bumping into walls – to states of high alertness when there is danger present, or when you have to make quick decisions.
Sports men and women describe a certain level of consciousness as being “in the zone”. Time has slowed down to such a pitch that every signal to the brain can be fully acknowledged and acted upon, every movement can be controlled.
To the observer it is as if there is a blinding swirl of almost incomprehensible activity, creating the impression of a person acting instinctively. But the athlete is totally in control, totally conscious of everything around.
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Suggestions
Another widely recognised state of consciousness is hypnosis.
This is a state which has some of the qualities of sleep, and some of the qualities of wakefulness. There’s a heightened sense of awareness with a corresponding feeling of relaxation. The imagination becomes very intense, very vivid. Deep memories you thought were lost suddenly come into view.
The hypnotic state is highly suggestible, however. It works just below the level of consciousness, on the threshold of the dream-world. And while a hypnotist cannot make someone do something they don’t want to do, they can plant suggestions in your mind. They can make you remember things that never happened.
Sometimes I think that watching TV is a bit like being hypnotised. You flop out in front of the telly watching a bunch of flickering lights moving about. You relax and absorb the images. This is when thoughts can be implanted. This is where illusions are born.
Watch out for the TV. It may not be as innocent as it looks.
Finally there are states of higher consciousness.
Hindus and Buddhists talk of a state they call Samadhi, which, loosely translated, is the Sanskrit for “wholeness”. It is a state of blissful oneness with the whole of existence, a point at which you know your real purpose in life.
Sometimes this is described as “awakening”.
Or to put it another way, when you woke up this morning maybe you only woke into another dream. Maybe your real awakening is yet to happen.
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- SAMADHI
In Sanskrit It's Samadhi; But What Does It Mean? - What Is Higher Consciousness?
Higher consciousness is ever-increasing awareness of your spiritual essence, the meaning of life and of the underlying spiritual nature in all things. - Levels of Consciousness - The Motivation Behind Our Behavior
Life Training - Online: The Source for Personal Development and Excellence Training - Levels of Consciousness
- The Seven Shamanic Levels of Consciousness
CJ Stone's Whitstable Views
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The picture was composed of a map of the British Isles, with the figure of a baby inscribed upon it. “It’s really there,” he was saying, vehemently, leaping about in his bare feet like some crazy wood elf who’s consumed too much blackberry wine. - 9 months ago
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As I’m sure you know by now, they are closing down the delivery offices in Whitstable and Herne Bay, and relocating them to Canterbury. This is being done in the name of savings. It will cost less to... - 11 months ago
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I'm planning to write about insomnia soon. I have some ideas which might help your friend... and me for that matter! Thanks for dropping by.
Terrific. Your research might help a lot of people. Come to think of it one woman told me the same thing. I cannot even imagine...
Interesting subject lucid dreaming is the part I enjoyed reading more ! thanks from jandee
Blessings to you handsome CJ!!
What a delightful find this morning, your Hub on consciousness!! CJ and a Cup of Joe in the morning are becoming a wonderful sunshine routine!!
Personally, I enjoy Hubs of this flavor and content more than stories! Your stories are delicious and fun and certainly get my creative juices flowing! This Hub is well written and provides basic insights into a world many people never visit!!
Sorry to hear insomnia is part of your life experience!! Creative energy is hard to turn off like a water faucet - it's more like a river that trickles or flows or rages according to its own nature! And timing!
As you might imagine, I am one of those who practices Samadhi! (Although after re-reading the comment I left a few days ago on one of your other Hubs about weaving unrelated stories together, I may have given the impression I practice 'mania!')
The state of Samadhi is not as difficult to reach as many people imagine! It happens all the time, in short moments, to most people! The idea of a 'practice' (traditional or spiritual or functional or practical) is to train/learn to hold that state of awareness and bliss at all times, even in the middle of chaos and turmoil!
Samadhi is somewhat the opposite of watching the telly!! A state of Samadhi is calm, relaxed, fully engaged with life but not distracted by the world! Samadhi is the opposite of handing one's mind over to the television! It is the same skill/state of consciousness used to win an Olympic sport as to go to sleep!
As an insomniac, you already know the litany of helpful suggestions to aid a peaceful sleep: Reduce/eliminate caffeine, eliminate food/water intake within a few hours of sleep, choose the same time each night to retire, black out shades, no clock, no telly, no music, no reading, no pets, no partner, comfortable wear, proper temperature, supportive bedding, etc.
I also write during the day about anything that is bothering me - and I continue writing until I get to a place of total forgiveness - of others and of myself! Then I give myself permission late in the afternoon to set it all aside until tomorrow! I make lists during the day so my brain does not need to hold onto the clutter/minutia of life! I begin to focus 'less' on being a part of the world, and 'more' on just being part of the Universe!
In addition to some of the above, the not-so-common practices I use to insure a good night's sleep include turning all electronics off at 7:00pm and meditating for an hour! Rarely do I go out at night preferring lunch with friends over dinner! All my friends know if they need to talk with me, our conversation will lovingly conclude no later than 7:00pm! Winding down in a purposeful way, over several hours, signals the body that it is time to sleep!
Your Hub timing with this subject touches on another magical event that took place while I was sleeping August 13-14th, 1992! "Then comes symbolic dreaming, where the events of the dream take on a highly-charged mythological quality, as if you were living in the time of legend. Dreams such as these always seem to signify something important in your life, like a message from another time, another place, another part of yourself." It was such a 'real' event/dream that it changed the course of my life! 18 years later, I still honor every magical moment and have been silently celebrating its anniversary for two days!
Almost silently! Baby Iris came into the world early yesterday morning!! Iris is the Greek Goddess of the Rainbow!! Iris is the beloved new neice of HubPages Founder Paul Edmondson! Robin and young daughter Georgia helped bring little Iris into the world!
We are all connected!
Have a wonderful day CJStone!! You are a pleasure to read and get to know here at HubPages!!
Blessings on your day, Earth Angel!!
Hello Earth Angel. It's nice to think that we're all connected. Blessings to little Iris from me. I have, of course, tried everything to cure my insomnia, and I will write a piece about it soon. Thanks for your advice.
I sleep very well when I sleep. It's my contention that it's quality, not quantity of sleep that matters.
Since childhood, I've wished I could harvest those hours when one is "supposed to" sleep for doing more conscious things, but I enjoy sleeping too. I have somehow developed an ability to get enough sleep without wasting so many hours on it.
In college I went through one semester of insomnia. I found out how little I cared for that!! Not only getting too little sleep, but accomplishing nothing with the salvaged hours, either! I set myself a mind to simply turn off thoughts racing along when I chose to sleep and somehow it was successful. Later the cues - bed, covers, etc. became all needed to trigger shuteye.
Then I discovered another good fact: Sufficient sleep need not be in one continuous block. In fact, some archeologists discovered evidence that ancient humans slept a few hours, arose, refreshed, did some things and then returned to sleep for another few hours of refreshing slumber. It was a natural rhythm which modern life discourages, it seems.
During a time when my husband was declining & I was his full-time caregiver, I hijacked nighttime as "my" time and became a night-owl, though I was also mostly a day-jay as well. Since his passing, for a long while I continued to be awake more than asleep, though sometimes I'd sleep on through the mornings, after being up at night. Other than no phones ringing at night, there was no further advantage to being up doing "my" things at night. I started thinking how wise it would be to go to bed earlier and be up and at'm in the cool, lovely morning hours when businesses are also up & at'm so one can accomplish a few "tiresome details" as well!
But old habits die hard & I'd just keep on doing my stuff till the wee hours. But gradually I began to just fall asleep earlier, while doing my things!! - Sitting right here with my laptop on my lap, on my couch with my feet up on a hassock! A handy gadget under the laptop both prevents it from sliding off & crashing, and little fans inside it, powered from the PC itself via USB cable keep both it and my lap comfortable. Actually in winter weather - a little warmth is not bad. :->
I awaken early before dawn, refreshed - (still more or less dressed). I may do some things and sleep a bit longer or be up for the day, after showering, coffee, fruit, etc. It's all natural & effective, both for rest and for activity.
I do think one's expectations & mindset have much to do with the quality of one's sleep, in any case. And those can be choices, I believe!
I really enjoyed your article, CJ and will study it again. The subject of sleep is intriquing! Thanks for letting me go on and on. You're not only a fine specimen of human but kind of heart, as well.
Sleep is such an odd time for me, as well..my body tends to fall asleep, but my mind tends to remain awake in an active creative sesh.
Interesting article! I'm a lucid dreamer myself and once in while I don't even know if I'm dreaming or awake. I have the same when I open my eyes after a Inner Silence practice in waking state. The knowledge of Carlos Castaneda has been my way for quiet some time. I have full control in my dreams and for a couple of years I'm practicing also Inner Silence in my dreams. It can become really confusing sometimes. But I really like the way you write about the matters of consciousness.
I'm gonna share this one! Thanks...
In spirituality there is also four states of consciousness. In soul consciousness you stop identifying with your ego and realize that your soul is more real. After that comes cosmic consciousness where you are awake 24 hours a day, even when your body is sleeping. Next is God consciousness where everything is made of light. And finally unity consciousness where all divisions and separations and you realize your oneness with all things.
Interesting hub.
An interesting subject CJ, "Consciousness". Often wonder if our consciousness is beyond our control. Level and state of consciousness is differ in every individual. I guess we exist as conssciousness in this universe. Yes, I am like you Insomniac !!, wondering and in and out of different states of consciousness or dimensions. I am new here and this was a good reading. Thank you
I will be following you as you have written so many interesting subjets here. Keep on wrting please...
Hi CJ. I just left a comment, but I didn't login to my account. So typical. I am new here and learning !!!
Glad you like it Forgetmenot, and I look forward to reading your first hub.
msorensson Level 3 Commenter 21 months ago
No doubt "Sometimes I think that watching TV is a bit like being hypnotised."
When you find out how to sleep better, I would like to know. I have a friend who suffers from the same...
I cannot relate. I fall asleep the moment my back hits the bed or the floor for that matter.