Sinceitisimpossibletofindamantwiceinexactlythesamementalstate，itisequallyimpossibleforhimtodreamthesamedreamtwice；therefore，itisonlypossibletoapproximatedreaminterpretationbyclassingthemintofamilies。ThisIhaveattemptedtodoinamorecomprehensivewaythanotherwriterswhohaveprecededme。
Allmenareacquaintedwithhealthandsickness，loveandhate，successandfailure。Sickness，hateandfailurebelongtokindredfamilies，andoftenallytheirforcesinsuchawaythatitishardtosaywhetherthedreamerwillfailinlove，healthorsomebusinessundertaking。
Butatalltimesabadsymbolisawarningofevil，thoughthatevilmaybeminimizedorexaggerated，orviceversa，accordingassignsaregood。
Thus，ifthedreamsymbolindicateswealthorfortunetothepeasant，hiswakinglifemaybegladdenedbyreceivingorseeingafifty-centpiece，orfindingassuringwork，whilethesamesymboltoawealthymanwouldmeanmanydollars，orafavorableturninaffairs。
Itisthesameinphysicallife。Amanmayhearthesoundofawagon。Hecannotdeterminebytherattleofthewheelswhetheritisladenwithlaundry，groceriesordrygoods。Hemayjudgeastoitssizeandwhetheritisbearingaheavyoralightburden。Whenitobjectifieshewillbeabletoknowitsfullimportandnotbefore。Sowithdreamsymbols。
Wemayknowtheyarefraughtwithevilorgood，asinthecaseofPilate’swife，butwecannottelltheirfullmeaninguntiltheirreflectionsmaterializebeforetheobjectivesense。
Deathismorefrequentlyforetoldbydreammessagesorvisions，asexplainedinanotherpartofthischapter。
Duringsleepthewillissuspended，leavingthemindoftenapreytoitsownfancy。Theslightestattackofanenemymaybeforetoldbytheunbridledimaginationexaggeratingthementalpictureintoamonstroussharkorsnake，when，indeed，amuchlessportentoussignwascastfromthedreammold。
Awomanmayseeaserpentinwakinglifeandthroughfrightlosereasonorself-control。Sheimaginesitpursuesher26
wheninrealityitisgoinganoppositedirection；inalikewaydreamsmaybemanytimesunreal。
Themindlosesitsreasonorwillinsleep，butasuper-sensitiveperceptionisawakened，and，asitregainsconsciousnessfromsleep，thesoundofaknockonthewallmaybemagnifiedintoapistolshot。
Thesleepingmindisnotonlysupersensitiveastoexistingexternalsoundsandlight，butitfrequentlyseeshoursanddaysaheadofthewakingmind。
Noristhiscontradictorytothelawsofnature。Theanthousedinthedepthoftheearth，awayfromatmosphericchanges，knowsoftheapproachoftheharvest，andcomesforthtolaybyhisstore。
Inalikemanner，thepetsquirrelisabetterbarometerofthelocalweatherthantheWeatherBureau。Withunerringforesight，whenawintryfrownnowheremarsthehorizon，heisabletoapprehendacoldwavetwenty-fourhoursahead，andbuildhishouseaccordingly。
Soinsleep，mandreamsthefuturebyintuitiveperceptionofinvisiblesignsorinfluences，whileawakehereasonsitoutbycauseandeffect。Theformerseemstobethelawofthespiritualworld，whilethelatterwouldappeartobethelawofthematerialworld。Manshouldnotdependaloneuponeither。Togethertheyproclaimthemaleandfemaleprincipleofexistenceandshouldfindharmoniousconsummation。
Inthismanneronlycanmanhopetoachievethatperfectnormalstatetowhichthebestthoughtofthehumanraceisaspiring，wherehecancreateandcontrolinfluencesinsteadofbeingcreatedandcontrolledbythem，asthemajorityofusareatthepresentday。
God，thehighestsubjectivesourceofintelligence，mayinadreamleaveimpressionsorpresentimentsonthemindofman，thehighestobjectivesourceofintelligence。
Thephysicalsunsendsitslightintothedarkcornersoftheearth，andGod，theSpiritualSun，impartsspirituallightintothepassiveandreceptivesoul。
Man，byhidinginacave，orclosingthewindowsanddoorsofhishouse，mayshutoutallphysicallight；sohemaysteephissoulinsensualdebaucheryuntilallspirituallightisshutout。
Justasthevitalessenceofthesoil，themotherofnature，27
maybeextractedbyabuse，eitherfromomissionorcommission，untilneitherthelightofthesun，northemoistureoftheheavenswillwaketheflushoflife，somaythespiritualessencebedeadenedwhenthesoilofthesoulisfilledwiththeagedandmultiplyingweedsofravishingmateriality。
Thedreammindisofteninfluencedbythewakingmind。
Whenthewakingminddwellsuponanysubject，thedreammindismoreorlessinfluencedbyit，anditoftenassiststhewakingmindinsolvingdifficultproblems。Thepersonalfuture，embodiedintheactivestatesoftheuniversalmind，mayaffectthedreammind，producingpremonitionsofdeath，accidentsandmisfortune。
Theobjectivemindrejoicesorlamentsovertheaspectsofthepastandpresent，whilethespiritualmind，strivingwiththepersonalfuture，eitherlamentsorrejoicesovertheprospectiveconditions。
Oneisthebarometerofthepast，whiletheotheristhebarometerofthefuture。
Ifwestudycarefullythespiritualimpressionsleftuponthedreammind，throughtheinterpretationsofthisbook，wewillbeabletoshapeourfutureinaccordancewithspirituallaw。
Thusourtemporaleventswillcontributetoourspiritualdevelopment，andinturnourspiritualknowledgewillcontributetoourtemporalwelfare。Withoutthisharmoniousinteractionofthetwogreatforcesinman，theDivineplanofdestinycannotbereached。
Thiscanonlybeaccomplishedthroughthematerialmindorreasondominatingtheanimalemotionsoftheheart。Inthiswaywewouldnotcovetourneighbor’sgoods，orgrowangrywithourbrotherovertrifles。
Thehousevacatedbytheselfishappetitesoftheworldwouldbefilledwiththewhispersofspiritualloveandwisdomnecessarytothemutualwelfareanddevelopmentofbodyandsoul。
Thetheoryusedinthisbooktointerpretdreamsisbothsimpleandrational。Bytheusingofityouwillbesurprisedtofindsomanyofthepredictionsfulfilledinyourwakinglife。Wedealwithboththethoughtandthedream。Thethoughtorsignimpliedintheobjectdreamedofandtheinfluencesurroundingitarealwaysconsideredintheinterpretation。
Thoughtsproceedfromthevisiblemindanddreamsfromtheinvisiblemind。Theaveragewakingmindreceivesand28
retainsonlyafewofthelessonsoflife。Itislargelyfilledwithidleandincoherentthoughtsthataresoonforgotten。Thesamemaybetrulysaidofthedreammind。Manyofourdaythoughtsaredaydreams，justasmanyofournightdreamsarenightthoughts。Ourdaydeedsofevilorgoodpierceorsoothetheconscience，justasournightsymbolsofsorrowandjoysaddenorpleasetheobjectivesenses。Ourday’sthoughtsarefilledwiththewarningsandpresenceoftheinnermindandournight’sthoughtsaretincturedandoftencontrolledbyourexternalmind。
Somewriterhassaid：“Everythingthatexistsuponearthhasitsetherealcounterpart。”Christsaid：“Asamanthinkethsoishe。”
AHinduproverbsays：“Manisacreatureofreflection；hebecomesthatuponwhichhereflects。”Amodernmetaphysicistsays：“Ourthoughtsarerealsubstanceandleavetheirimagesuponourpersonality，theyfillouraurawithbeautyoruglinessaccordingtoourintentsandpurposesinlife。”
Eachevilthoughtoractionhasitspursuingphantom，eachsmileorkindlydeeditsguidingangel，weleavewhereverweignoblystand，atombandanepitaphtohauntusthroughthefurnaceofconscienceandmemory。
Closelyfollowinginthewakeofourmultiplyingevilthoughtsarearmiesoftheseghastlyspectrespursuingeachotherwiththeexactintentsandpurposesofthemindthatgavethembeing。Ifweconsiderwellthesefactswewillbeforcedintothinkingourbestthoughtsatalltimes。
Thoughtsarethesubjectiveandcreativeforcethatproducesaction。Actionistheobjectiveeffectofthought；hencethecharacterofourdailythoughtsismakingourfailureorsuccessofto-morrow。
Theimpersonalminddealswithalltimeandthingsaseverpresent。Theobjectivemindisconstantlystrivingtopenetratethespiritualrealm，whilethespiritualmindisstrivingtoentermatter，henceouractionshavetheirsubjectivecounterpartsandtheirsubetherealcounterparts。
Theuniversalmind，inharmonywiththeevolutionaryplansandlawsofthemacrocosms，materializesthroughfunctionsofthemicrocosm，impartingtoeach，withitsroutineoffailureandsuccess，itsdailyobjectivity。
Theinnerorpassivedreammindmayperceivethesubjectivetypesorantitypesmanydaysbeforetheyobjectifythroughthemicrocosm。Theirmeaningisoftenwraptinsymbols，butsometimestheactualasitoccursinobjective29
lifeisconveyed。Ourownthoughtimageswhichhavepassedbeforetheobjectivemindmaybeperceivedbytheclevermindreader，butthoseantitypeswhichareaffectingourfuture，butwhichhavenoneotherbutsubjectiveexistence，arerarelyeverperceivedbyanyoneexceptbythepowerofthehigherselforthespiritwithin。Forthisreasonweareenjoinedbythesagestostudyself。Withthephysicalmindweonlyseephysicalobjects，withthesubjectivemindweseeonlysubjectiveobjects。ThiswasPaul’sdoctrineanditisthebeliefofthebestpsychicthoughtofthiscentury。
Bymeansofourreason——anobjectiveprocessfordiviningthefuture——aidedbymathematicalandgeographicaldata，wemayoutlinethestormcentersandthepathoftheraindaysbeforetheyappearincertainlocalities。
Aftereliminatingallcontingenciesarisingfromclericalerrorandcounteractinginfluence，theprognosticationissureoffulfilment。Forcenturiesaheadtheastronomerforetellstheeclipseofthemoonandthesunandthearrivalofcomets。Hedoesnotdothisbycrossingtheborderlanddividingthespiritualfromthephysicalworld。Inalikemannerthesubjectiveforcesoperateupontheirownplanesandknowverylittleevenoftheirowncorporalrealm，justasourphysicalsensesknowlittle，ifanything，ofthesoulorspiritualhabitation。Theyknowthatbygrosslivingthesenseofconsciencemaybedulled，orthatbyrightlivingitmaybestrengthened。Inlikemannerthesubjectivemindperceivesbyitsownsensescertaininvisibletypesofevilseekingexternalmanifestationsinthemicrocosm。Itknowsthattheseformsoferrorwillworkharmtotheobjectivemind，andthatifpersistedintheywillpervertallintercourseorinterchangeofcounselbetweenthetwofactionsoftheman。Inthisthereisnospiritualperceptionofphysicalobjects，anymorethanthereisinmundanelifeasenseperceptionofspiritualimagesandantitypes。Theformeronlyseestheformsthatmanifestonitsplane，whilethelattercannoteonlythosecommontoitssphere。Eachmayrecognizeandfeeltheviolenceorgoodthatthesemanifestationswilldototheirrespectivecounterparts，butwehavenoreasontobelievethatnormalobjectiveorsubjectivestateshavevisionalpowersbeyondtheirownplane。Themindofmanactinguponthemindofthemacrocosmwillproduce，accordingashethinksoracts，antitypesofgoodorevilintheimaginationoftheworldwhichisreflecteduponthespiritual30
auraofthemicrocosmprevioustotakingoncorporalform。Whileinthisstatetheymaybeperceivedbysubjectivity，andthustheimagesseenareimpressedonthedreammindduringsleep，oronthepassivityoftheobjectivesense。
Evilorrighteousactsrecentlycommittedwillmoreacutelyaffectthepresentwakingmindthanthoseenactedatamoreremoteperiod。
Inasimilarwayfuturedisasterorsuccesswhichissoontooccurwillimpressthedreammindmorevividlythanthosewhicharetotranspireatalaterdate。Butinthelivesofallmentherearepastincidentswhichtheywillneverforget，andwhichwillneverceasetofilltheirheartswithprideorremorse。So，too，intheirdistantfuturethereareimportanteventstotranspirewhicharestrugglingthroughtumultuousinfinitudetoleavetheirghastlyorsmilingimpressuponthedreammind。Ifyourmentalstatesarepassiveyouwillreceivethewarnings。Therearecasesonrecordwhichshoweventshavebeenforecastyearsaheadoftheiroccurrence。
Wedonotclaimthatthisbookwillproveaninterpreterofalldreams，orthatthekeysdisclosedwillopentoyouallthemysteriesofthefuture，orevenallthosesurroundingyourownpersonality，butbystudyingthedefinitionsandtheplaneuponwhichtheywerewritten，youwillbeable，throughthepowerofyourownspirit，tointerpretyourowndreams。Thecombinationofdreamanddreaminfluencesareasinfiniteasthestars，orthecombinationofthoughtandnumber。Theycanonlybeclassedandconsideredassuch。Theycannotbeanalyzedindetailorasawhole。Inmathematicswehaveninedigitsfromwhichaninfinitevarietyofcombinationsmaybeformedandsolvedbythedeductionofthemind。