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January 03, 2009
How Much Can We Learn From Our Dreams?
The following dream is a dream that I have only shared with a few friends. It actually happened several years ago, but I have never forgotten it. It really is quite a personal dream but it happened just the way I am recalling it.
How Much Can We Learn From Our Dreams?
How I Won A High Diving Victory in Very Real Dream
By John Alexander
Sometimes when we dream, certain dreams feel like they are more real than others. I'm sure dreams can all be different but let me tell you about this experience.
I was standing in a line up of people which extends single file to what looks like a high diving platform.
As I look across a channel of water, there I can see the outline of a "judges box." I cannot see the judge but I become aware that behind a veil, is where the judge is viewing and grading each persons dive into the channel.
I'm thinking great. Here I am stuck in this line and I don't dive.
There seems to be some very professional and experienced divers and it seems that as each person dives, they are allowed the time they need at the top of the diving board to focus.
But once they dive from this very high board into the water, they must swim to the other side to get the judges score.
If the diver passes the test with a 100% "perfect score," the judge then speaks to him or her and then ushers them into a room to his right side.
But if the diver fails to pass (with anything less that 100% perfect score,) the judge directs them to the left of him into a different room.
I've noticed very few people succeeding since the score required is perfection. As hard as I try, I can not see the judge's face because the veil hides him from the public viewing angle. I think to myself, what chance do I have?
I don't dive.
Suddenly reality snaps in as I realize the line of people I am standing in, is moving forward again. I realize am going to have to take the dive from this great diving board too. But I am more concerned as I approach closer to the board as I am not a diver and I
can swim, but I have never dived in such a contest.
Suddenly I see a stranger is moving down the line and whispering something into each contestant's ear.
The reaction is unusual because once the stranger speaks quietly into the ear some people literally push him away, others just stare in disbelief at whatever he is saying. Many seem to get upset, pushing and shoving each other as they get closer and closer to the base of the long climb upward.
People seem to be getting very nervous and very pushy the closer they approach the ladder.
Now as the stranger stops beside me, he moves close to my ear and says in a quiet whisper, "John, it's nearly your turn to dive soon. Please watch your form, take your time and do not be distracted. Once you make your best dive, swim over to collect your final score."
I thought to myself, how extremely unusual.
I could not understand why anyone would be angry or react badly to this strangers advice. He was more or less just simply telling me to do my best and watch my form. I did not really have any diving experience or form, but that was beside the point.
As I approached the very base of the long climb upward, someone was fighting with some else behind me in line. Now it's my turn to climb the ladder. I am next. Suddenly as I put my foot on the ladder, someone who seemed very angry grabbed me by the arm and pulled me back off the ladder, shouting "you can take your turn after me, I'm going next." So I let him go. I did not understand why so many people seem to be irate or so much at each others throat?
Around the base of the high diving ladder the scene had become like a mob of people. Pushing, shouting acting rudely and angry, many seemed afraid, some were fighting with each other but nevertheless, everyone was eventually taking their turn to climb the great ladder and dive.
It was my turn now to climb to the diving board. It was a long way up to the top and as I reached the top diving elevation, I stood back to watch as the diver (obviously a professional with excellent form,) poised himself and made ready to do his dive. As I looked downward, I could see the outline of the judge who did not seem to be watching that closely.
After a minute, off he went into what looked to be a very pretty impressive dive down into the channel below, as I waited for my turn next. Once he swam over to the judge he stood for a minute when I saw the judge motion for him to stop. Unfortunately he had failed and the judge motioned for him to move off towards the doorway to the left.
Now I was really concerned as it was my turn next.
It bothered me that after all of this effort to get to the point of making the dive, the judge really did not seem to be watching even half the time. Then I thought, if the judge failed the excellent diver I had just witnessed (and he was in far better form than I could ever be,) I wondered what chance I would have. I would never make a "perfect dive."
I glanced down at the water below from the edge of the board. There I stood frozen in fear, knowing that I had very little chance.
But I closed my eyes and waited for a few seconds...then I took the plunge. As I left the board, to my shock I noticed the judge look away for a minute. I can remember feeling my position rather awkwardly shifting on the way down and hitting the water at a frightening speed, feet first.
But as I surfaced, I swam over to the other side of the channel and stood in a small circle facing the judges shadow. I stood amazed at who the judge was and then He spoke these words to me with all
authority, "You have done well and you may now enter into the victory
gate to the right of me."
"Very well done!," the judge proclaimed. As I approached the room to the right, there was great light radiating from the entrance and great sounds of excitement coming from this "victory room."
But then, I stopped again just for a second. Now standing beside the judge and turned to ask him one more question saying, " Thank you for your decision Sir, but I have to know why my performance had been judged a winning performance by you, when my actual performance in the dive was such a failure (to me?)
I have noticed far better divers than me which you have not received and as I took my dive I noticed that you even glanced away. The judge replied, "The reason I glanced away was that I did not need to see any
more."
"Don't you yet know that you were not judged on your performance in the dive?" The Judge continued to explain, "By the time you stood to make the dive, you had already been judged a winner because the actual contest had nothing to do with the dive. The real place you won the contest, was at the foot of the diving board ladder on the ground."
The judge showed my that I had only assumed I was in a diving contest and that this was my perception, but it was incorrect. He continued to explain, "Remember when you were surrounded by people and standing in line for the longest time?" The contest was actually based on how you treated other people around you in the midst of difficult conflict or circumstances. The fact that you did not become distracted by all of the turmoil. You chose to hear the message whispered to you by my messenger which was, "to watch your form." And watch your form you certainly did. It was indeed perfect and you have shown yourself to be caring towards even against those people who did come against you. The people who spoke against you or even those who were just distracted and confused by the violence were the ones that lost points. This is because they were all assuming they were being judged in their diving form and did not perceive the truth."
His final words to me before I awoke was, "Well done good and faithful servant enter into the doorway to my right where I will join together with you shortly."
----- The Dream Ends Here---------------------
Sometimes life seems just like this in a way, don't it?
We assume our performance is important in one area or another only to get an eye-opening wake up call.
We may deem the definition of "success" as being connected to things like finances, relationships, owning the best of everything, the pursuit of wealth, how good we look or how well we perform, but we can end up making many assumptions that in the end, we may find won't really matter in the long run.
I believe God is often trying to get our attention and tell us about the things that are most important to Him. The bottom line is that we are all supposed to be dedicated to caring for each other.
Taking action on behalf of someone else, ahead of your own putting your interests firsts may sound strange to some who are in fear or in panic mode or to some that just have no peace of mind about their recent circumstances. Things and perceptions around us can make this world feel upside down sometimes and yet I always remember this dream.
I guess that's a good enough place to start this thought as we enter into 2009. My friends and readers, may we more mindful to watch for new opportunities to serve one another and may God grant us the
ability to recognize "His opportunities" to care for those that He
places around us and help make a lasting difference for someone besides ourselves.
This is a break away from my normal chats about keywords or search engine marketing, but I felt impressed to share something extra as we start off this New Year. There are good reasons to watch for the opportunities that are presented before us in 2009.
Let's especially watch for opportunities to care for one another in a time when it seems so many just don't seem to care the way they use to.
Alright, so it's back to more Keyword Research and sharing of informational resources and in the meantime, I wish you the very best of success in 2009.
Highest regards,
John Alexander
Search Engine Workshops
Search Engine Academy
Posted by John at January 3, 2009 03:35 PM