The Nightly Act of Dreaming

The Nightly Act of Dreaming
Author: Ryan Curtis Friesen
Publisher: Liverpool University Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2019-05-28
Genre: Psychology
ISBN: 178284659X

The search for a shared practice of storytelling around which a popular study of cognitive narratology might form need look no further than our nightly experience of dreams. Dreams and memories are inseparable, complicating and building upon one another, reminding us that knowledge of ourselves based on our memories relies upon fictionalized narratives we create for ourselves. Psychologists refer to confabulation, the creation of false or distorted memories about oneself and the world we inhabit, albeit without any conscious intention to deceive. This process and narrative, inherent in the dreamlife of all people, is at odds with the daily menu of cultural myths and politicized fictions fed to the Western world through print and social media, and for which there is constant divisiveness and disagreement. Cognitive Narratology and the Shared Identity of Myth uses insights gained from the scientific study of dreaming to explain how the shared experience of dreamlife can work in service to the common good. Primary texts and literary works, chosen for their influence on contemporary thinking, provide a rationale and historical background: From Artemidorus (a professional diviner) and Aristotle; to the Church fathers Tertullian, St. Augustine, Gregory of Nyssa, Sinesius of Cyrene; to The Wanderer (Old English poem) and Chaucers Book of the Duchess; to Coleridges writings and R. L. Stevensons A Chapter on Dreams; and to twentieth-century dream theory, and dream use in film. The purpose is to enable readers through subjective self-analysis to recognize what they share with their fellow dreamers; shared identity in formation of a shared act of dreaming creation is a universal across centuries and throughout Western culture, albeit currently misrepresented and rarely acted upon.

The Oracle of Night

The Oracle of Night
Author: Sidarta Ribeiro
Publisher: Pantheon
Total Pages: 487
Release: 2021-08-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1524746916

A groundbreaking history of the human mind told through our experience of dreams—from the earliest accounts to current scientific findings—and their essential role in the formation of who we are and the world we have made. "A resounding case for the mystery, beauty and cognitive importance of dreams." —The New York Times What is a dream? Why do we dream? How do our bodies and minds use them? These questions are the starting point for this unprecedented study of the role and significance of this phenomenon. An inves­tigation on a grand scale, it encompasses literature, anthropology, religion, and science, articulating the essential place dreams occupy in human culture and how they functioned as the catalyst that compelled us to transform our earthly habitat into a human world. From the earliest cave paintings—where Sidarta Ribeiro locates a key to humankind’s first dreams and how they contributed to our capacity to perceive past and future and our ability to conceive of the existence of souls and spirits—to today’s cutting-edge scientific research, Ribeiro arrives at revolutionary conclusions about the role of dreams in human existence and evolution. He explores the advances that contempo­rary neuroscience, biochemistry, and psychology have made into the connections between sleep, dreams, and learning. He explains what dreams have taught us about the neural basis of memory and the transfor­mation of memory in recall. And he makes clear that the earliest insight into dreams as oracular has been elucidated by contemporary research. Accessible, authoritative, and fascinating, The Oracle of Night gives us a wholly new way to under­stand this most basic of human experiences.

Insomniac Dreams

Insomniac Dreams
Author: Vladimir Nabokov
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 224
Release: 2019-11-19
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0691196907

First publication of an index-card diary in which Nabokov recorded sixty-four dreams and subsequent daytime episodes, allowing the reader a glimpse of his innermost life.

Dreaming as Delirium

Dreaming as Delirium
Author: J. Allan Hobson
Publisher: MIT Press
Total Pages: 324
Release: 1999-10-28
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780262581790

In this book J. Allan Hobson sets out a compelling—and controversial—theory of consciousness. Our brain-mind, as he calls it, is not a fixed identity but a dynamic balancing act between the chemical systems that regulate waking and dreaming. With a new foreword by the author. In this book, J. Allan Hobson sets out a compelling—and controversial—theory of consciousness. Our brain-mind, as he calls it, is not a fixed identity but a dynamic balancing act between the chemical systems that regulate waking and dreaming. Drawing on his work both as a sleep researcher and as a psychiatrist, Hobson looks in particular at the strikingly similar chemical characteristics of the states of dreaming and psychosis. His underlying theme is that the form of our thoughts, emotions, dreams, and memories derive from specific nerve cells and electrochemical impulses described by neuroscientists. Among the questions Hobson explores are: What are dreams? Do they have any hidden meaning, or are they simply emotionally salient images whose peculiar narrative structure refects the unique neurophysiology of sleep? And what is the relationship between the delirium of our dream life and psychosis? Originally published by Little, Brown under the title The Chemistry of Conscious States.

A Midsummer-night's Dream

A Midsummer-night's Dream
Author: William Shakespeare
Publisher:
Total Pages: 72
Release: 1734
Genre: English drama (Comedy)
ISBN:

National Sylvan Theatre, Washington Monument grounds, The Community Center and Playgrounds Department and the Office of National Capital Parks present the ninth summer festival program of the 1941 season, the Washington Players in William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream," produced by Bess Davis Schreiner, directed by Denis E. Connell, the music by Mendelssohn is played by the Washington Civic Orchestra conducted by Jean Manganaro, the setting and lights Harold Snyder, costumes Mary Davis.

12,000 Dreams Interpreted

12,000 Dreams Interpreted
Author: Gustavus Hindman Miller
Publisher: Union Square + ORM
Total Pages: 714
Release: 2011-10-04
Genre: Body, Mind & Spirit
ISBN: 140279083X

“Popular psychic and medium Shields has paired up with Skomal to update Miller’s classic dream manual . . . a fun book for lay readers to leaf through.” —Library Journal A bestselling classic, back and bigger than ever! Nearly a century ago, Gustavus Hindman Miller published his groundbreaking masterwork, 10,000 Dreams Interpreted, the most compelling and thorough study of all the symbols that appear in our dreamscape. Miller offered an enlightening introduction to dream history and types, and organized his symbols into eminently logical categories. Now, popular psychic and medium Linda Shields has updated this classic, featuring revisions and additions to more than 2,000 of his original interpretations as well as 2,000 entirely new entries. This brings the book up to speed with our modern life, including objects unknown in Miller’s time, such as cell phones, computers, televisions, and more. An exciting, enriching, and elegantly packaged revision that’s a must-have for anyone who dreams!

The Dream Interpretation Handbook

The Dream Interpretation Handbook
Author: Karen Frazier
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Total Pages: 301
Release: 2019-10-22
Genre: Self-Help
ISBN: 1641522852

An essential guide to understanding the hidden meanings of your dreams Dreams can offer valuable insight into your subconscious mind, put you in touch with your emotions, and help you realize unrecognized ambitions. With The Dream Interpretation Handbook, you'll learn to decipher your dreams and use what you discover to connect more deeply with yourself and make changes in your waking life. Learn all about the dream interpretation process, and find guidance for decoding the plotlines and connections within your dreams. You'll also explore the symbolism behind colors, numbers, and common tropes like falling, drowning, and being chased. The Dream Interpretation Handbook includes: Applicable wisdom—Get advice for connecting dream symbols to your life in meaningful ways. Science and mysticism—Better understand the spiritual and psychological implications of dreams with information that covers both the practical and mystic areas of study. A dream dictionary—Identify more than 100 symbols—like elephants, money, and loved ones—and what they represent. Delve deep into the meanings and messages of your dreams with this insightful guide.