perhaps  even feelings  of anticipation  and excitement
when the person has a  meaningful fantasy about what
the experience of death will be like.
     I have good reason to  believe that dreams can play
a  crucial role  in  developing  a  personal myth  about
death  and  that dream work  can affect  the experience
of  death.  For example, according  to the Tibetan Book
of  the  Dead,  there   is   a  period   of  transition  after
physical   death,   called   the  Bardo   state,   which   is
comparable  to   the  dream  state.  Psychic  awareness
expresses    itself   through   projections.   Whether   in
dreams or in the after-death Bardo state, the ability to
perceive   these    psychic   projections   as  aspects  of
one-self rather than  to be overcome by anxiety and to
flee from them opens up the opportunity  to liberation.
Prior to death, active work to perceive the projections
operative in  dreams  may both reduce  the  number of
unresolved  projections  that  have  to be encountered
after  death  and  also  develop  the  propensity, which
should  carry over into  the  Bardo state, to  recognize
as projections the fantasy forms that are encountered.
     There  are  many  ways  that  you  can  participate  and
assist in this project. We welcome personal testimonies
concerning   dreams  that  relate  to  the  topic  of  death,
dreams  that  provided comfort  to  the bereaved, dreams
that were associated with the death of another person, or
any  type  of  dream/life  story  that   might  suggest  how
dreams  teach  us  about  the  nature  of  death. We would
appreciate    being    informed    of    relevant    examples
appearing  in published works.  If you have been involved
with  terminally ill  patients  and their  dreams, we would
like  to  hear  of   your   experiences   and   receive   your
suggestions.    Suggestions    from    anyone   concerning
possible  directions  and  forms  for research  on dreams
and death  are  also most welcome. Address: Dreams and
Death, c/o Sundance.

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