Perchance to Dream

I dreamt about Mac this morning. That is, he starred in the dream.

Dreams in general are defined on many levels by different disciplines and various theories - ranging from a mere dumping ground for unconscious brain meanderings to a psychological playground for sexual desires to a passion play constructed of "collective", mythological elements. Neurologists and other scientific theorists generally try to marginalize their importance by lumping all unconscious activity into one easily-accessible (and acceptable) box thereby effectively "dealing" with issues outside of conventional analysis. Which, of course, tells us nothing.

Occultists might say that dreams contain clues of ones "fortune". Mediumistic types claim that through dreams they can communicate with the dead. Artists and writers gather inspiration from their dreams. Others claim that dreams are akin to out-of-body experiences or remote-viewing. I'd have to say, that in my own experience, dreams are actually all of the above... sometimes just a brain exercise, at other times, a lucid and valid experience of the psyche. But, I would also have to say, drawing from my own experience, that dreams are more. The "more" being that peculiar X-factor - i.e. things we have not yet the ability to understand nor fully explore.

The dream I had with Mac was a lucid dream... and for those that occasionally have them, the lucid dream feels very much like an actual waking experience occurring in an actual place in a sort of "dream-time". The lucid dream has an eerie reality about it despite the unlikelihood of its elements. Mac and I were technicians in what seemed to be an underground bio-lab. As neither of us, in reality, are or were "biologists", this might seems strange, but in the dream it seemed perfectly normal. That this bio-lab happened to be on Mars was, in the dream, also elementary. What piqued my interest in the dream was that this underground bio-lab on Mars also was situated in an underground body of water. One literally had to swim under the surface - in a peculiar way; a sort of inverse sensation to that in a levitation dream, if you've ever experienced one - to gain entrance. On the other hand, there seemed to exist a terrestrial entrance to the lab as well but it was off-limits as it seems there was some threat posed by either antagonistic humans or, possibly, an indigenous population. The lab itself, however, seemed to be an international endeavor with a variety of races and nationalities involved.

Apart from the particulars, however, my dream experience seemed to be centered on communicating with Mac. I was so happy to "see" him again, though in corporeal reality we had never met. He seemed healthy and in good spirits... and was discussing his immediate past, which, unfortunately I can't remember. We were also enthusiastically discussing our venture... when, at which point, the annoying buzzing of my alarm clock dragged me out of the dream. I lay there for a long time trying to go back to sleep and re-enter the dream, but it never happened.

In any event, this is the first dream I've had starring Mac after his death that remained clear in my mind upon waking. I know this post is over-long - for this I apologize - and I know, too, how generally bored we are when someone recounts a dream, but I hope some of you appreciated it. I also hope that those of you who have dreamt of Mac or will in the future - maybe my post will inspire a dream (!) - will share it with the rest of us. Maybe in some weird, X-factor way, dreams are a way to keep track of Mac, so to speak, as fantastic and delusional as it might seem. Mac himself, was very aware of his dream-life... and I think he'd approve of us mentioning his dream-appearances... that is, unless you consider your dream divulges personally sensitive material, in which case, you're excused!