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they also suggest ways to actualize
this attitude and
warn us of some common resistances
which we may
encounter. The basic resistance, and it is
one that may
take many forms, is the tendency to reject
our dreams.
Although our reason for rejecting
a dream is usually
perfectly valid when considered on
its own terms,
through such rejections our dream recall is nevertheless
inhibited. Therefore, we must
periodically come to
terms with the source of this resistance.
We may, for example, reject a
dream outright. Upon
awakening in the morning, we may say to ourselves, "Oh,
that was nothing!" and carelessly toss aside
a lingering
dream image which otherwise might have
provided a
memory for a dream. When we are seriously trying
to
recall our dreams, such judgments are ill-advised. Later
in the day a rejected dream
fragment may seem to
be quite interesting after all,
but then we will
be
disappointed to discover that we
can no longer recall
the dream.
We may also disregard a
dream on the basis that our
memory of it is too incomplete or confused.
We may
fall prey to philosophical doubt concerning the basis for
trusting memory itself and we
will confuse ourselves
with doubts as to whether
we dreamed at all. The
subjective certainty which typically
accompanies the
initial, spontaneous recollection of our dream will fade
with time and as the dream is scrutinized.
Thus, it is
better to record the first memory of the dream and let it
go at that. There will always be time
for later editorial
revision and the original evidence
will have been
preserved.
Another reason for rejecting
a dream is that it seems
to be disappointingly short and
apparently trivial. We
may conclude that the dream does not contain much
of
value. In another instance, a dream may repel us because
of its seeming incoherence or absurdity, or perhapseven
because its contents offend us. But we should set
aside
our judgments and remember the dream.
Even though
our reasons may be valid, our developing ability to recall
dreams is jeopardized each time we devalue one of them.
Each time we ignore a dream, we
reinforce the auto-
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