Dream or a Vision?

How do you know?

Have you ever woken up and wondered if what you saw and experienced in your sleep was a dream or a vision? It was distant yet somehow felt very real. You knew the place you visited though you have not seen it in real life. How do you know it’s real and not your imagination? What is a dream and what is a vision? Is it even the same or different?

Do you believe that some dreams are visions?

• Yes
• No

A couple of years ago, I had a strange experience in my sleep. I woke up feeling a presence near my side. The subtle astral form of an astute Swami wearing deep maroon robe stood on one end of the room. I saw my astral form being separated from my body. There was no fear of the disconnect as my soul knew that there was a still an energetic connection with the body, and this is not death.

The Swami's presence was oddly familiar as if we had shared countless conversations before this moment. He acknowledged my energy, walked ahead with steadfast steps, and touched my forehead. At that very instant we were teleported to another dimension. It felt like a place where soul rests and reflects after completing its earthly journey. It felt that the ground we were on was suspended in nothingness. Vast space surrounded us. The sky was illuminated in silver light. I could see huge pillars, a round compound of red stone and clear river that was alive with lotuses, corals, and precious stone. The whole scene looked like a part of beautiful celestial garden. I could see that we had company of other souls walking about calmly. Everything was vibrating of energy in that place, including my essence.

The Swami and I sat on the stone steps leading to the round compound. We had a very deep conversation about life and beyond. I asked numerous questions and got instant answers. Communication happens through mind in the other world. It’s a strange place where all is alive and thriving and yet so serene.

After a refreshing insightful session of Satsang, I didn’t wish to come back, fully aware of the presence of the family that loved me. I felt distant from this life and wanted to stay in the real celestial world pulsating with wisdom. Everything about human world felt unreal like a dream and everything about that dimension felt real. The Swami read my thoughts and gently reminded me that it was not my time yet to leave my current human birth. I still had to complete my purpose. His last words before I entered my body with a jolt were,

‘That world is nothing but Maya, don’t get too involved. Focus on your purpose.’

That place still remains alive in my heart and has become my soul’s place. Every time I find myself getting sucked into the mundane everyday struggles and end up in midst of an unpleasant situation, I remind myself of the soul’s place and the celestial words I heard before being anchored back to my body.

This is just one of the numerous awakened dreams that I have seen. For me dreams are the medium for souls to travel to dimensions, interact with higher being and receive guidance.

Could this be a normal dream? No, because I controlled my mind and asked some very deep questions which were answered instantly from a pool of knowledge that I have no access to.

In a normal dream, you are just led into something without being aware of your identity. You have no control and most of the times, dreams are a chaotic mixture of random observations, subconscious thoughts, and unsuppressed feelings. But awakened dreams or visions, possess coherence, vitality. Their details linger vividly in memory long after waking, unlike fleeting dreams forgotten by morning.

Dreams, I think, come to us in an encrypted language only understood by our soul.

When the soul is still entangled in worldly chaos its viveka or ability to distinguish between the real and unreal is vastly diminished and the perception is distorted with tainted perception. These further taints the message behind the dream which is ultimately witnessed by mind as a distorted chaotic mix of random thoughts, observations, and emotions. As the soul transcends towards embracing a spiritual mindset, the inner chatter subsides and makes way for inner clarity. The encrypted language for the dream is gradually understood by the soul and some dreams become awakened dreams.

The dream state, as mentioned in this article is known as Swapna in Sanskrit which literary means loss of touch or ignorance. According to Upanishads, Swapna is one of the four states of being. Other three being Jagrit (waking), Supta (dreamless sleep) and Turiya (transcendent).

Charaka, one of the principal contributors to Ayurveda, in his sevenfold classification of the Swapna covers the waking experience. Those seven types of dreams according to the source and the content are,

1.        Seen (Drsta) – A ‘drsta’ dream resembles happenings that we have seen in our waking life.

2.        Heard (Sruta) – If we can hear the sound while asleep then that is ‘sruta’ dream.

3.        Experienced (Anubhuta) – The dreams in which we are aware of other sense perceptions from external causes is ‘anubhuta’ dream.

4.        Influenced by inner wants or desires (Prarthita) – The desire in wakefulness leads to the dream of that desired thing or event then that is called ‘prarthita’ dream.

5.        Created by the imagination (Kalpita) – Fantasy or imagination in sleep leads to ‘kalpita’ dream.

6.        Manifested (Bhavita) – The Dream which becomes a reality and actually happens in life is ‘bhavita’ dream.

7.        Created by an imbalance of the temperaments (Dosaja) – Dream that is created by an imbalance of the temperaments is ‘dosaja’ dream.

There are five distinct timings of the dreams:

1.        First-quarter of the night that lasts one and a half to two hours.

2.        Second quarter of the night that also lasts about two hours.

3.        Third quarter of the night that has a duration of two hours.

4.        Fourth quarter of the night. It overlaps with the dawn,

5.        Early morning

Ancient Hindu texts also suggest that the dreams, which one has during the first quarter of the night, take one year to show their effect. Dreams of the second quarter manifest their effects within 8 to 10 months. Dreams of the third quarter materialise within 3 to 5 months whereas dreams, which one has during the fourth quarter or Brahma Muhurta, show their effects instantly or within a month. Dreams of early morning period are virtually ineffective for they are an outcome from the state of half-sleep.

The question then arises. How do you know if what you saw was a dream or an awakened dream?

In my opinion the simple answer is that the soul knows just like you know when you are in love and when it’s just mere infatuation. I have observed that when my soul travels to dimensions beyond this plane and experiences a vision, I am more mindful of the journey. My soul is active and completely aware of what’s going on. I always feel a presence of a guide with me in my visions who constantly communicates and actively answers my questions. These queries stem from the knowing that I am Ekta, and this is my soul. I am aware of the separation and yet the connection.

In conclusion, I would like to state that the nature of dream is such that it comes to us when we are in our non bodily consciousness which makes them carriers of our soul to the mystic dimensions. Every dream holds the seed of a vision and a message. Until the time comes that you can understand the cryptic language of a dream, consider it a guidance from your own higher self and focus on implementing that guidance in making your life ‘the ultimate dream’ better. The more your mind settles in peace and quietness, the more clarity it will have to understand the subtle vibrations of universe.

Just like I hold this guidance close to my heart.

 ‘This is all Maya, don’t get too involved. Focus on your purpose.’

Grateful for your eternal guidance Gurudeva.

Ekta Bajaj