Dreamer, dream large

Nature and dreams

Some places in our world aid the ability to dream. In fact, the more dynamic, vibrant and vivid a place is, the likelier dreams are. Nature determines the depth of nocturnal wandering. This observation is borne out when a dreamer discovers a peculiar lack in a place where nature is generally unchanging. Think thunderstorms, titanic winds, burning sun and furious rain versus a constant climate. In the former lies change and challenge and thus dreams are large; in the latter lies an insulated life and thus dreams are small.

There is an exception, for nothing is that absolute. A constant climate can be described as generally overcast with regular drizzling rain...or daily sunshine. The former tends to oppress creativity, but where the sun shines hot and water is scarce, life is by nature challenged. Constant sunlight leads to dreams. Sunlight is energetic...dynamic and vibrant.

History and dreams

Some places are layered with historical events. We move away from nature here into civilisation, as relative as that is. People and History and time. Basic shelter gives way to wooden structures, to rough stone dwellings, to incredible and marvellous buildings that can withstand the rigours of time far longer than sticks and thatch. And as the buildings progress so does the community. People live and die in roughly the same region over centuries, millennia, always adding a layer to what is already in place.

Other places are newer, recently discovered, recently inhabited. The layering will come only later.

In the former one senses history; in the latter one creates it. Theoretically, a dreamer would have a wealth of images to draw upon in a place layered in time’s events, and this is indeed true. However, the dreamer in a place where time still has to layer dreams larger, because nature is the true challenger.

Circumstance and dreams

A layered space can be stifled by too much suffering, too much persecution and fear. If a community is under the yoke of tyranny for centuries and the spark of revolution is bred from the psyche- acceptance of tyranny in order to survive- it eventually leads to a stasis extremely difficult to remove...even when the tyrants have moved on to greener pastures. This is often the case with heavy-handed religions as well, tyrants in flowing robes and words of peace. Free will is absent. Thus, despite a wealth of time and events, dreamers are sightless during nocturnal wanderings. There are few who dream at all.

Imagine a pioneer lifestyle. This can be a new farm carved from scrub or the challenge of a new land. There are may be layers in place, but there is no predisposition. The pioneer does not sense the yoke of tyranny even if it once was. Despite exhaustion, life is large even in sleep.

Choice

We are all of us, however, greater than nature, History and circumstance. Generalisations are not absolutes. How and when we dream is entirely at our behest. We may choose not to, we may not remember upon waking, but we are in control of our minds. This, I believe, is a generalisation that can be regarded as an absolute.

Dreamer, dream large.