Joel Metzger of Online Noetic Network (ONN) recently published on the World Wide Web an article I originally wrote for Dream Network called Dream Democracy: Integrative Dream Narration. In the article, I describe a technique that creates a sense of shared consciousness by integrating the dreams of participants to revive a Dream Democracy which we can use to address the powers that can be hidden behind the smokescreens of the Military Industrial complex. I also suggested in the article that physicists merge their dreams together in order to evolve science to a point where it begins to reciprocate the intuitive and spiritual aspects of our consciousness.
Shortly afterwards, I received a response from Claudia Robinson, who is working on getting an MA in Environmental Leadership at the Naropa Institute, a place known for its 'contemplative mandate in education.' She suggested that I try an email version of the Integrative Dream Narration psychnique. She kindly offered me her "EcoPsychology: Nature-Counseling Community ConnDection" email discussion group, in which to try the experiment. She has been the moderator of this internet group since 1995. It consists mostly of people interested in helping to create and further the relatively unknown field of EcoPsychology. "EcoPsychology bridges the domains of ecology and psychology to address the psychological and spiritual roots of the ecological crisis."
Ms. Robinson told me what motivated her to start such a group: "My interest in EcoPsychology arose at a time when I was questioning my involvement with physics in an environment that did not respect my way of knowing. I was wilting in that environment and knew that unless I conformed to the prevailing misguided attitudes I didn't have a chance in the field."
She considers Integrative Dream Narration a form of 'transpersonal sociology' and feels that it is a suitable technique for EcoPsychology, since the earth herself dreams (a belief held by many indigenous people around the world). Her idea to use the internet to merge dreams sparked my interest so much that I immediately subscribed to the list and posted a request for dreams to be integrated. I was extremely nervous about using the internet as a medium in which the dreams would be merged. I felt more vulnerable doing this, more so than doing live demonstrations of the psychnique in front of 40 people. I kept thinking that all those who subscribed to the list could read the dreams that were posted and see how the dreams were integrated as well. A few people on the list protested such a use of dreams, saying that dreams should only be shared with one's lover or analyst and no one else. I agree some dreams should be kept private, but not all. When I received a sufticient number of dreams from the participants, I then created a story and then posted it in the email group list.
After I considered the feedback of the list subscribers who volunteered for the first time experiment, I then experienced a kind of consciousness that was so magnified and enhanced that it overwhelmed me at first. I realized that the interconnected computers themselves were greatly heightening the experience of shared consciousness, even more so than when this psychnique is done in the physical presence of others. It seemed to me that the computers were actually reciprocating this kind of usage of its unique medium, somehow recognizing something emerging within its matrix. The computer's own consciousness became very apparent and I think this is what startled me.
Unfortunately, some of the more Cartesianly inclined may write this off as a kind of technoanimism. However, once I gained insight into this kind of emerging awareness and became more familiar with it, I conveyed to the moderator my experiences. Claudia observed that the computer itself is a profound archetype. Such a profound, living archetype should not be shunned by those who fear and/or disdain computer technology.
At night I would meditate on the integrative dream story created with the emailed dreams, put my hand on my heart chakra and tune in to the energies of the participants who helped to create this dream matrix. I would then imagine that I would travel through the computer to arrive at the matrix where the Ecol'sychology discussion group 'existed.' Once in the matrix, I could feel much resistance amongst some of the participants; an inability, if not unwillingness, to settle into the 'primal matrix'-the primordial ground which supports all life as described in the book, My Name is Chellis and I'm in Resovery from Western Civilization.
Somehow the dreams integrated via the computer network assisted me in getting through these peculiar resistances and reach some kind of core essence within the group that was trying to emerge and establish itselt as a new reality, much like the computer's consciousness was trying to establish itself. Perhaps what I was experiencing were the 'chaotic attractors 'described in Stanley Krippner's article in Dream Netwark, Vol. 17 No. 1 Chaotic Attractors in Myth, attractors which find order in what appears to be incomprehensible data by helping us discern an underlying patterns. Overall, I sensed a kind of cooperation between the computers and the participants.
Yet I felt quite vulnerable floating in the dreamtime cyberspace and I unsubscribed from the EcoPsychology group to regain my boundaries. It was difficult to get used to such anenhanced and amplified consciousness, yet I feel strongly that it is something that needs to be explored more thoroughly it we are to harmonize technology with spirituality and both with the earth. 8
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