Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1909-06-08
Startling Rapidly With Which the
Mind Works In Sleep.
SOME STRANGE EXPERIENCES

The Events of Whole Lifetime May
Fit Past the Dreamer In Few Mo-
ments-Queer Results Of a Dream
Experiment by Noted Psychologist.
A characteristic of dreams which. as
the rather materialistic DIR. Clarke
says, hints at life that has neither
beginning nor end and is bounded by
no limits which human thoughts can
compass" is the rapidity with which
events happen in the dream world.
Thus, when asleep and dreaming. we
live an entire lifetime in a minute;
in a space of time that is scarcely
more than a second we pass through
experiences that could not be duplicat-
ed in this objective sphere in hours.
perhaps in years.
Count Lavalette relates that one
night, when imprisoned and under SEN
tence of death, he dreamed that he
stood for five hours at Paris street
corner, where he witnessed a con-
tinuous succession Of narrowing scenes
of blood, every one of which wrought
his soul to the highest pitch Of excite
ment. When he woke he found that
he had been asleep less than two min
utes.
In a more recent experiment, made
expressly to test the truth Of these
theories, the subject was aroused from
sleep by few drops of water being
sprinkled upon his forehead. 1t took
but an instant to accomplish this re-
suit, and yet in that incidentally brief
space of time the man dreamed Of
going on an excursion; of an accident
by which he was plunged into lake,
and during the long struggle to escape
death that followed all the experiences
of his life seemed to fash before him,
just as they are said to appear to a
person who IS actually drowning.
Dreams are tricksters. Professor
kitchener of Cornell university told
with gusto of his experience. AS
specialist in psychology he interested
himself in dreams. Like a true scien-
fist, he once set about gathering data.
He wanted to know what caused
dreams, where they came from, what
they meant, and all that He deter
mined to watch himself when he slept
and to awake himself at once when
he found himself dreaming something
of value. So, with notebook on
writing table near his bed he forced
himself to waken for several nights
and to write down. while the dream
impressions were vivid, his remem-
brances Of the details and by study
Of the room, the bed and his physical
condition to attempt to arrive at the
possible causes Of his dreams.
He was getting on famously. One
night he had a particularly vivid
dream. In accordance with his prac-
tice. he forced himself to awake and
Immediately write down clearly every
thing about it, then went back to sleep
again. The next morning be arose
and was astounded to see that his note
sheet was blank. He remembered pos
itively the notes he had set down
thereon in the middle of the preceding
night. The next night again he wrote
down his notes after his dreams. only
to have the same uncanny sensation
the next morning at finding nothing
recorded
The strange circumstances set him TO
bordering. That night he impressed
upon his mind before dropping Off into
sluraber that he must awaken with his
first dream, or, If not with that, with
his second dream. Subsequently this
strong antesleeping command deliver
cd to himself was present all through
his dream consciousness. When the
first scenes of vivid dream came be-
fore his fancy he felt himself awaken,
and he set about writing down the
facts upon the pad at his table.
1t was then that from some source
of inner consciousness he felt the COM
mand again to awake. although he
seemed ut the time to be In full posses
sion of his normal faculties. His eyes
opened ard the secret was out. He
found himself lying in bed, where he
had been all that night His rising
after each dream had become so much
a routine that he had dreamed that
he had arisen and had made the notes.
and his dream was so clear that 1t
caan,od reality -0utinr Magazine