In part this positive outcome is possible because we are processing the problem on our backburner and like in our dreams are piecing together various disparate elements in order to create a seemingly coherent narrative. In taking on this challenging act of construction, we sometimes come up with a creative perspective on and solution to the lingering problem. It is now ready to enter out consciousness—we need only relax, be playful or in some other way become less rigid and defended.
A Generative Dream
To delve further into the generative power of dream, I wish to share one of my own quite elaborate dreams. I had a dream several years ago in which I was going to a company with two other people – probably my brother and my grandson. My brother had work to do at the company and I (and my grandson) were just there waiting for him to finish his work. My grandson had brought his computer with him and was working on it. I forgot to bring a book with me and was regretting not brining a book (Principles of Psychology) written by William James (I was doing a presentation on James in a few weeks). I was frustrated about not having something to read while waiting for my brother (probably about an hour-long wait was anticipated).
I noticed that the room where I (and my grandson) were sitting was adjacent to another room and the door was open to this room. I wandered into this room and discovered that the walls of this room were filled with books from floor way up to the ceiling. It was suddenly an actual room that I had been in for several days while working with the justices in Massachusetts. In this actual room, I had loved between sessions perusing the wonderful collection of books that were on many topics-I suspected that people in the judicial system donated books to this library- and that no one actually ever picked up and read any of the books- it was all for show-always nice to have a floor to ceiling library when holding a meeting as an organization with a deep, long and prestigious history (as is the case with the Judicial system of Massachusetts – back to John Adams).
In the dream, I spent at least one-half hour wandering through this room, hoping to find my book by William James. Instead, I discovered books of many different shapes and with many different titles, written by many different authors. Some of the book titles and authors were real – others were made up by my dream. I opened several books and marveled at the detailed art of the title page or of graphics in some page in the middle of the book.
I found one book on Gothic history and folk lore with beautiful colored drawings of gothic figures, 1 was intrigued with this book, and took it from the shelf, holding it while I looked for the William James book. I found one section of books in the lower part of a bookshelf at the far end of the room that were in my field of psychology. I hoped that I could find my William James book there (having not found it earlier in a section of books on American philosophy). I couldn’t find my James book among psychology books–but discovered many other “real” books on psychology-books that I either own or know of. It was a remarkable “tour” through the field of psychology.
I ended up returning to the room where my grandson was sitting (with his computer). Other people were now in the room and were holding a meeting at a table located at the other end of the room. I picked up my Gothic book and just as I started to read from it, the dream came to an end.
