APRIL 25, 2019 – Recently, my wife and I saw Sherlock, Jr., a Buster Keaton film (with music composed by Stephen Prutsman and performed live by Mr. Prutsman and Accordo (https://schubert.org/concerts/accordo/)). A dream sequence in the film parodied a common dream theme of acrophobia. The sequence was hilarious as the Keaton character teetered over one precipice after another. We did not laugh alone. Many in the crowd had experienced such dreams.
Likewise, many of us have the crazy dream about school, where at the end of the semester we realize we haven’t turned in any assignments or attended a single class. It’s the classic “anxiety” dream. Anxiety is a universal human trait, but why do so many people experience dreams featuring that particular form of anxiety? With so many actual memories on file, how and why do our brains assemble dreams that mimic memories without replaying them?
Lots of dream research has been done, but I’ve not reviewed it—I’ve been too busy dreaming.
Every night I dream as if I’m watching multiple films inside a multiplex theatre. Modes of transit—cars, trains, planes, buses—figure prominently, as do skiing and work-related situations. I’ve traveled to many beautiful lands and even outer space. Often I’m rehearsing or performing my violin—inadequately. (Talk about high-anxiety dreams!) I’ve visited with LBJ and Fidel Castro and just last night, I sat across a table from Ted Cruz, who expressed his visceral dislike for Donald Trump—evidence that you can find something in common with just about anyone. Often I meet my deceased parents and grandparents, who appear in such realistic form I’m certain they’re alive again.
Occasionally I’ll have a dream that later turns out to be weird, like the one in which a 747 crash-landed in the lake in front my family’s cabin in Wisconsin. Afterward, I learned that one of my sisters had had exactly the same dream—before she’d heard a thing about mine.
Recently, a dream was clairvoyant. A long-time client of mine appeared alongside a big, brand new SUV he’d acquired. He told me to hop in so he could show me all the state-of-the-art gadgetry aboard. When I awoke and reflected on the dream, I wondered how the client was doing and why I hadn’t heard from him for a number of weeks.
The next day he actually called! “Brian [not his real name],” I said. “Great to hear your voice. You won’t believe it, but last night you appeared in one of my dreams.”
“That’s a little unusual,” said Brian good-naturedly. “What the hell was I doing in your dream?” He laughed.
“You had just bought a brand new SUV and insisted on showing me a bunch of its finer features.”
After a couple of beats I heard Brian say, “Oooooo,” followed by another beat before he continued. “You know what’s really bizarre?”
“What?”
“About two weeks ago I actually bought a brand new SUV.”
What does the research have to say about that dream?
© 2019 Eric Nilsson
