Why is there so much emphasis on the thoughts and actions that govern our day to day lives, but not as much on the ones that happen as we sleep?
It’s difficult to understate the influence of modern technology because its effects are so tangible. We see how platforms like TARTLE are geared towards a clear end goal. We’re connected to our smartphones and devices around the clock. But we seem to be forgetting about the first device and data set that we were given to work with: the human mind, and our subconscious.
At most, dreams are an interesting icebreaker or topic for idle talk—but we think that they can mean something more. It is time to revisit how dreams can have an impact on the course of our lives, as well as that of the people around us.
Sidarta Ribeiro shared a personal experience with a fellow PhD candidate. One day, Sidarta Ribeiro needed a ride to the field center of Rockefeller University for an experiment. However, he was unable to push through with his activity because it was used by another candidate.
This setback meant that he had to reschedule his experiment, which affected his productivity. Understandably, this affected Sidarta Ribeiro’s perception of the person. He went to sleep feeling annoyed and irritated.
However, he dreamt of a scenario where he angrily confronted the person and ended up getting physically hurt. When he woke up, he found himself in the right mindset and mood to peacefully discuss what happened with his colleague, and they made amends.
This is a personal example of how dreams can be used to simulate instances of the future using references that we have made in the past. It can help guide us and give us insight. Giving the mind some space to process what has happened throughout our day can have some benefits for our wellbeing.
Alex mentioned how, surprisingly, we only spend 55 percent of our lives awake. This means that if we don’t pay attention to our dreams, we’re missing out on almost half of our entire life experience In the modern world, there is a growing dichotomy between inner work and outer work that we need to bring our attention to— especially when we put so much value on what is external, but choose to forego focused introspection on the self.
Sidarta Ribeiro pointed out that today’s research into mental health and wellbeing appear to be closely intertwined with drugs that induce a dream-like state. This could be the first step in a collective effort to bring back emphasis on our subconscious.
It’s time to return to our inner world and start using dreams, one of our most ancient technologies, to our advantage once more.
The dream state has had a massive impact on the course of history. One solid example is the Oracle of Delphi, a widely revered high priestess of the Temple of Apollo who gave predictions and guidance to both individuals and city-states. Her words influenced the decisions of important figureheads such as Aegeus, the king of Athens; Croesus, the king of Lydia; and Alexander the Great, conqueror of the ancient world.
Ancient and contemporary Mayan religion also posited that dreams are sacred, because they functioned as portals that helped an individual connect with their ancestors for guidance. The dream state is closely intertwined in the definition of spirituality across several religions and concepts of faith.
Today, the role that our dreams fulfilled in old societies is now being fulfilled by a variety of different mechanisms and technologies. Amidst all this progress, it’s time to take a break and ask ourselves: do we like where we’re going, now that we’re leaving our subconscious in the dust?
We are consistently pressured to maximize our productivity and levels of efficiency. The technologies we develop are influencing us to think of our value according to the volume of our work. While our reliance on the dream state has, to a large extent, been diminished due to our increased proficiency in technical knowledge, we forget to ask ourselves about the implications of this change.
It is undeniable that our subconscious has played a massive role—not just in the individual lives of ordinary people, but in the rise and fall of civilizations. The dream state is a data mine that we, as a collective, are slowly losing out on. It’s an opportunity for introspection that can help us make better decisions. Most importantly, it helps us regulate our wellbeing through proper rest and recreation.
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