The Secret of Dreams | Page 3

dreaming of a passenger train; the steady tramping of footsteps overhead may be the cause of dreaming of thunder storms, etc. We must also take into consideration the physical and mental environments of the sleeper.

THE SUBCONSCIOUS MEMORY
The subconscious memory may be the direct cause of certain dreams. When the mind is centered on certain things, the sleeper goes over his life again and again in phantom fashion. He lives over the experiences of his daily life. Very often the ego enlightens the sleeper of some material thing for his own benefit, which he may use advantageously in his waking state, but as he generally looks at the phenomena of dreams as an hallucination of the brain, he allows many a golden opportunity to slip through his fingers because the materialist's brain cannot grasp things of the spirit.
All the knowledge and rubbish of our past lives is stored up in the subconscious mind where it remains in minute form. Memory is only the awakening of the sub-conscious mind, a long and forgotten incident, that has made a deep impression on the mind, is apt to filter through into the conscious state in dreams. In time of illness or when one's vitality is low, the dream picture of the past is apt to play a very prominent part in one's sleep. Childhood and long-forgotten scenes come up frequently and appear as real and genuine as if they had only happened the previous day. They frequently give the dreamer joy or sorrow, according to the stages he passed through.
Even action of past lives may come up into the subconscious. Dreams of running around nude without any feeling of shame may be the memory of a previous existence. Falling from a high cliff or trees. Being chased around by some wild animals may be attributed to a primitive past. Dreaming of primitive people, places and things, only takes the dreamer a step nearer the stone age, from whence he came. Instead of looking at these subconscious dreams with horror and dread as some people do they should study them and shape their lives accordingly.

TELEPATHIC DREAMS OR THOUGH TRANSFERENCE.
Telepathy is a known and established fact. The connection between minds without material means of any kind, has often been demonstrated by the very simple method of one person acting as a sender, while the other acts as a receiver. The sender thinks of a certain subject selected before-hand. He may write it down on slate or paper. This often helps him to keep his mind concentrated on the subject he wishes to send to the receiver. The receiver places himself in as receptive a position as possible, and Keeping his mind calm, the impression he receives he makes note of. After a few experiences he may find the message to be correct, word for word. This is telepathy.
In sleep there is often telepathic conditions between minds who are in close sympathy with each other, such as man and wife, mother and children, or people whose business brings them close together, may exchange thoughts during sleep. For instance, in one case a mother received the thought of her boy, who was away from home, telling of his sickness. A few days later she received a letter verifying her dream. A salesman dreams of a friend telling him of his company doing a big business in a neighboring town. Upon his friend's return his dream was found to be correct.
A lady in San Francisco (whose husband was in Australia) for three successive nights, dreamed of his returning to America. She did not expect him until early in the fall of the year. She was dreaming of him in the spring. On the fourth morning after her dream she received a letter telling her about his unexpected return. These are so-called telepathic dreams, usually from minds of living people, although telepathic connection from minds of disincarnate beings is possible.

THE ACTUAL ASTRAL EXPERIENCE OF THE EGO DURING SLEEP IN THE ASTRAL WORLD.
The actual Astral experience in which the ego sees distant sights, sights and visions which he knows do not actually exist upon the physical plane, such as communicating with the dead, recovery of lost and stolen property; having premonitions of a certain thing which actually happens, such as approaching danger or death.
Above are but a few of the actual astral experiences of the ego which it endeavors to impress on the physical brain. Sometimes it impresses them by symbols, for symbols are the true language of the soul, and to know how to interpret the meaning of the symbols of your dreams is of the utmost importance to the beginner. A symbolic dream, which is an actual astral experience, can only be interpreted by the dreamer himself, for no one lives your life but yourself. The first impression you