Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-04-20
lN THE LAND oF pREAMs.
ConJecturea on the AIysterious Workings
 of the Mind In Sleep.


 of the Mind In Sleep.
 Dreams used to be accepted as vaga- ries of the mind, prompted by undisci- plined articles of diet, suchlas mince pie or Welsh rarebit Thus dreams were left without dignity and an unneces- sary odium cast on deserving and friendly articles of food. With the ad- vance of psychology in club discussions and in the university extension courses different views have come about The extreme position held is that waking life is all an illusion. the real life we live Is in dreams. The completest ex- position of this Is in Du MaurIer's re- marlxable novel, Peter Ibbetson." That, to be sure. Is a novel, but its readers, who hold the same view, insist that through Peter Ibbetson the con- viction of MT. du Maurier are distinctly perceived. He even describes the method of dreaming true" as 1t Is called.
 To dream true, according to the recipe, one must lie fiat on the back, cross the feet and clasp the hands be- hind the head. In that position, with the thoughts on what one desires to do or see in dreams, sleep must come un- der those conditions. The theosophists say that in this case the consciousness is merely transferred to the astral plane, where all things past and to come are photographed, and the mind wanders, as it were, through series of rooms filled with pictures. In night mares the mind has got into @ room where is the picture of some horrible deed. The experiment, 1t will be seen, seems easy enough, but as most people sleep in knots, or attitudes of self-de- fense, the relaxation of the position it. self will be found to be more difficult than appears. It is possible to suggest against this view that the food eaten in dreams alone would not long maintain the power to dream at all This seems to give certain positive value to waking life and regular meals. Other people do not go so far, but they contend that the mind can be made very useful while the body is laid up for repairs. The capacity of the mind to work when dis embarrassed of the demands of the body is enormously increased. Instead of allowing 1t to waste its power and expend it's activity, like a growing and frequently naughty child, in play and mischief, it should, by discipline, be made to perform useful and praise worthy deeds. The student should set l it to studying his lesson, to solving his problems. The author should teach it to go on with his novel, or perhaps have ready for him in the morning \ something new and original, as Cole ridge was surprised by having his mind | present him when he awolSe with | "Kubla Khan" From all directions | come intimations that dreams are to be put in harness and set to work.
 There are people, however, on the ! other hand, who object to dreaming at \ all, and have made it matter of will. When night comes the thoughts, like | chickens, ought to come home to roost | Before going to sleep they recall all their wandering ideas and lay them up | in an orderly pile near by, as they lay \ their clothes on a chair by the bedside. ! This is done with system, and, when ac- complishcd, they fold their hands and go into dreamless sleep, to awake with both mind and body refreshed. These | people believe that the mind can go of into irresponsible wanderings. but they ' don't believe 1t ought to be trusted without the guidance of the will. It is likely to get into trouble, for there are clementals and unseen powers without moral principle that may corrupt the mind, or in its absence get possession of the unseen body. So it seems that, dreaming or not dreaming, both are matters of consequence and may fully engage the waking mind-if it ha, nothing more important to think uhcut | IN. r.. Sun.