In my first article of this series, I outlined how the dream state of mind can be of greater influence on our overall well being than we might think. With this installment, I will describe how the function of the waking mind and the dream state differ, with the results of what happens when the balance between the waking mind and the dream state moves too far in one direction.

Beginning with how our minds function, I will describe the influences that most affect each state of consciousness. During the waking state, the mind is most focused on sensory input from taste, touch, smell, hearing and sight. As we move about in the world, we react to this input, and apply the additional faculties of emotions, perception, creativity, and interpretation to shape our net assessment of reality. Even when we are awake, our minds are busy creating a mosaic of images that may or may not be close to what is truly happening in the world around us. We use stimulus to determine what is real, and make choices regarding how we feel about what is actually happening all around us.

Each us of is tuned mentally to the cause and effect aspects of the world, using our physical experiences and knowledge of the rules we learn about how this reality works to make our way through life. Our waking minds tend to think more on physical terms, with only a secondary application of abstract ideas and symbols to guide us through what comes along. In the dream state, the mind escapes from its primary focus on physicality, and enters a state which is primarily operating on symbols and abstract imagination associated with pure energetic thought. Though the dream state can be influenced secondarily by physical stimulus, its primary landscape is tuned to relate with imagination and creativity.

When all the physical aspects of our bodies which house the mind are functioning properly, we fluctuate in a natural cycle between a state of full awareness of our physical state, and a separation from it, retreating to a more energetic level of our awareness. In the sleep state, the mind shifts gears away from sensory input, and practical logic, moving toward a more intense level of symbolic and creative thinking processes.

In either state of awareness, a person suffers limitations when the interaction between the waking mind becomes overly separated from the functions of the dream state. This is manifested in the waking state by less imagination, difficulty in dealing with symbolic and abstract issues, and loss of creative imagination in solving problems. These people become more dependent on completely pragmatic approaches to their actions, and move away from recognizing creative aspects of solutions. They prefer finding answers within purely logical realms, and the proven principles of the physical world. These people tend to forget their dream state information, and see dreams as meaningless wanderings of the mind if they remember anything from their dreams at all.

People who focus primarily on the abstract realms of their dream state of mind are more likely to have difficulty facing reality, and though they are creative, have a difficult time focusing on matters at hand. They easily retreat into their fantasies without applying what they experience to the physical needs in their lives. They are perceived by others to be intelligent, but lacking the ability they need to turn their ideas into viable solutions to real problems occurring in the physical world. These people are easily distracted and tend to daydream when they should be focused on more practical matters.

My next article in this series will focus on methods that can be used to better connect the complete faculties of the individual, and exploit benefits the whole awareness has to offer.