U.S.-Soviet Dream Bridge

U.S.-SOVIET DREAM BRIDGE

The Irish poet W.B. Yeats once wrote, "In dreams begin responsibilities." Several major technical and scientific discoveries have emerged from dreams, including the design for the first sewing machine and the structure of the benzene molecule. Artists have conceived their future works, generals planned their subsequent victories, lovers met their destined beloveds, in dreams. This leads me to ask, "Would it be possible to conceive of new ways to bring peace to the world by submitting enquiries to the Mind of the Night, by enlisting the aid of dreams?"

Recent experiments in this country, both in dream laboratories (notably the one at Stanford University) and among independent "dreamworkers," have proven three things possible: 1) It is possible to get answers to pre-determined questions through the dream state; we call this "dream incubation." 2) It is possible to learn how to realize that one is dreaming while one is still dreaming, and thus to act as consciously and deliberately in the dream-state as in waking life; we call this "lucid dreaming." 3) It is possible (though more difficult) for two or more dreamers to learn how to meet one another in their dreams, on a pre-determined night, and be able to recount similar experiences in a similar imaginary environment upon waking. We call this "shared dreaming."

I propose that we perform an experiment with the easiest of these three possibilities, "dream incubation." All that this requires is enthusiasm, motivation, a little faith, and the willingness to "work the night shift." (Interestingly enough, one is usually refreshed rather than fatigued after this kind of work.) I propose that, during October, November and December of this year, we set ourselves to dream about how lasting peace can be established between our two countries, and in the world at large, and how our massive global challenges can be met. I can promise you that many of us here will be dreaming of you during these three months; we can only hope that you will also be dreaming of us. We extend this invitation to all of Russia, to both psychotherapists and laymen. Let us write to each other, and tell each other our dreams; let us each collect in one place the dreams of both nations; let both nations recruit teams of interested and knowledgeable persons to read what we've dreamt, interpret it, and strategize on the basis of it, so as to develop new plans for making peace between our two nations, and healing our wounded earth.

There has been a great polarity between our two nations, and polarity often leads to conflict--but this is not the inevitable outcome. Polarity can also lead to union, to a higher synthesis, to the birth of the Child of the Future. Polarity is simply the precondition for a flow of energy--for war, and for love too. Let us now use this great polarity between us to bring to birth the next Aeon of Humanity.

All primitive myths relate the Moon to the world of dreams. Some tribes believe that we should incubate dreams on the New Moon, and keep dreaming on whatever problems we wish to solve until the Full Moon. Twentieth century science has discovered something that may throw light on this belief. The earth's atmosphere increases in negative ionization during the waxing moon and in positive ionization during the waning moon. Negative ions are known to produce an elevation of mood, and speed the healing of wounds. So our suggestion is that you begin to incubate dreams on the three New Moons of October, November and December, and carry this on until the three Full Moons, as we will be doing here in the United States.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to pray.