ABSTRACT
Dreams — windows to the soul, a recounting of the day’s events, thevoice of the nonconscious mind, a seemingly meaningless firing of neu-rons, the language of the seer, an escape from the day, visions of the prophets, mental visions, connections to the collective unconscious, messages from the divine. Metaphors for dreams and arguments about their significance to our lives — or the lack thereof — could be used to chronicle human understanding of human imagination and consciousness. Few people seem to be neutral when the subject of discourse is dreams. Yet, whether one sees dreams as significant or not, any history of humankind must include stories of how dreams and visions have influenced individuals and culture. From Jacob to Ulysses, Aristotle to Jung, and Sitting Bull to the Dalai Lama, dreams and visions have served humankind as powerful metaphors for connections between the soul and forces larger than us. Dreams have shaped the lives of individuals and the futures of nations.
