We are asleep about sleep. It occupies almost one-third of most people’s lives, which is the reason this essay was written. For that consideration alone, sleep cannot be ignored. Unfortunately, it also involves speculation, imaginings, and some questionable theories and beliefs. As a part of the mystical quest, sleep must be evaluated with great caution. You cannot live always in it nor live without it.
Sleep is usually studied from one of three aspects: its necessity for human life, the meanings of dreams or the state of dreamless sleep. Everyone acknowledges that sleep is essential: it helps to quiet the emotions which might otherwise cause harm; it allows the mind to cleanse itself so that it can function more clearly; the physical body requires rest so that it can “recharge” itself. These descriptions can vary between psychology and physiology, but the need is recognized by all. Many people are “sleep deprived”; a few sleep too much.
Dreams are probably the most controversial aspect of sleep. Some psychiatrists have used dream interpretation to help to reveal repressed thoughts and emotions of the unconscious mind. Some religious persons, including a few mystics, have described visions of saints, prophets, angels, or other celestial beings, some of whom spoke to them during their dreaming. Many other people believe that dreams are frequently caused by short-term mental and/or physical factors, usually independent of our repressed thoughts and emotions, or any spiritual input. They are a tool, though never real.
The most important aspect of sleep, especially in mysticism, is the dreamless state. Many psychologists and physiologists believe that deep, dreamless sleep is vital for complete rest and rejuvenation of the mind and body. Those people who seem to dream incessantly might often wake up more tired than when they went to bed. Many mystics do claim a parallel between deep meditation and dreamless sleep. In both cases, ego and individuality are forgotten, the sense of self and other are absent, and pure consciousness is actuated.
Few mystics equate dreamless sleep with divine union, yet few would rule it out entirely. Given their assumption divine essence is within every person, but because it is usually unrealized, dreamless sleep might be necessary for us to reunite with our true self, with the source and spirit of our being. Not all mystics would agree and most psychiatrists, physiologists and non-religious persons would not even consider it. It is, however, temporary and not conscious.
Mystical experiences are often described as consciousness of the unity of existence, of universal oneness, or union with the divine. Is sleep, in either dreams or dreamless, conscious? Most would say it is semi-conscious. An unconscious person would seldom be revived by an alarm clock, turning on lights or bright sunshine. Of course, a few people can sleep through each. Some persons say that they are “conscious” of their dreams. Fortunately, we forget most of them; we could confuse them with the experiences in our waking state.
Activity of dreaming can be measured, even though we cannot “see into” dreams of others. Recorded by an EEG, PET, SPECT, or fMRI, there seems to be a direct correlation in brain wave activity during states of dreamless sleep and deep meditation vis-a-vis those of dreaming and a relaxed waking state. The content of the former cannot be compared because they cannot be determined. Scarcely anyone remembers intervals of dreamless sleep; they just wake up more refreshed. Few people who meditate can describe a period of samadhi. The parallels