In the first part of this series reviewing the Wisdom of the Dream conference put on by the C.G. Jung Institute of Boston, I presented the main details of the talk given by Jungian Analyst William Ventimiglia on Jungian dream interpretation. In this second part, I will be looking at the presentation given by Robert Stickgold, PhD. titled, “Sleep, Memory, and Dreams: What Does It All Mean?”
Sleep and Memory
Sleep and dreams are obviously very important to each other. The more that is discovered about what happens during sleep, the more we find that it is its own universe of activity.
According to Stickgold, sleep is not just a time of rest, but an important function that helps us not only to recover from the day, but to actually benefit from the experiences of the day.
In an earlier post, I discussed some of the research that shows how sleep is essential to learning, as well as the connection between sleep and dreams from a Jungian perspective. Stickgold elaborated on this research and showed how different phases of sleep are connected to different kinds of learning.
For example, perceptual learning, which enhances our ability for perceptual discrimination, say, between two different sounds or visual patterns, requires both the slow wave sleep of the early part of the night, as well as the later REM sleep. Motor Learning, on the other hand, relies mainly on REM sleep.
Dreams and Memory
One of the major functions of sleep is the consolidation and processing of memories. During the onset of sleep, in the period when we are apt to experience hypnagogic dreams, our newest experiences may be replayed in a literal manner.
But during the main part of sleep, these memories do not show up literally in our dreams. They have been transformed into metaphors. This is thought, says Stickgold, to aid in the integration of a new memory with older, previously integrated memories and experiences.
The exception to this is in the case of trauma. Traumatic memories remain stuck in a literal portrayal in dreams. This seems to prevent them from being integrated and leads to a kind of chronic reliving of the trauma through one’s dreams.
Sleep and Dreams
According to Stickgold, current research has laid to rest the idea that dreams are limited to REM periods of sleep. As it turns out, we dream throughout most non-REM phases of sleep, as well.
This would not be surprising to C.G. Jung, who suggested that dreaming actually happens 24 hours a day:
“In waking life, too, we continue to dream beneath the threshold of consciousness, especially when under the influence of repressed or other unconscious complexes.”
For Stickgold, there are four primary functions that are taking place in sleep and dreams — episodic recall (remembering and consolidating what has been learned), developing a theory of mind (trying to figure out what other people mean), future projection (imagining possible future scenarios), and narrative development (developing the story of our lives).
The Mind at Rest
These four functions are also active during times of waking rest. This processing happens outside of our awareness and is active in those times when nothing else is going on. Stickgold suggests that our hyper-active, hyper-connected world, may ultimately be interfering with this important functioning of the mind.
There is a great deal of research coming out these days about the value of daydreaming and Stickgold’s research confirms and extends this. He articulates several levels of these kind of non-directed reveries states — mind-wandering, daydreaming, musing, and dreaming.
In mind-wandering there is brief digression from one’s intent. Daydreaming takes it up a notch, but remains without intent. Musing is the intentional shifting into a reverie state, and dreaming, of course, occurs when the conscious mind shuts off altogether.
Even when it seems like nothing is happening, there is a lot going on in the psyche.
The Purpose of Dreaming
When considering the role of sleep and dreams in the psychic economy, Stickgold sees them as essential to the process of building up a model of the world in which we live and creating meaning in our lives.
For Stickgold, the purpose of dreaming is clear and he puts it succinctly: We dream about what is still incomplete, that is, problems we haven’t solved, tasks we have yet to learn, things we have yet to do and pursue.
Stickgold declares his agreement with Freud’s ideas of wish-fulfillment with this point of view, but I believe it is actually more in line with Jung’s notion of the prospective function of dreams. For Jung the dream did not speak so much of the past as of the future:
“The prospective function…is an anticipation in the unconscious of future conscious achievements, something like a preliminary exercise or sketch, or a plan roughed out in advance.”
What is so exciting about Stickgold’s work on sleep and dreams is that, even approaching the subject from a very different angle, it confirms many of the insights of depth psychology on the creative power of the unconscious mind.
In the next part of this series I will present the talk given by Erik Goodwyn, MD: “Gods, Ancestors, and Other Inspiring Characters from our Dreams.”
[optin title=”Discover Your Calling: Sign up today for my free 10-day email course.” text=”Learn how to cultivate a ‘calling mindset’ and discover the work that you were meant to do.” buttontext=”Get Access Today” successMessage=”Message has been submitted successfully.” errorMessage=”Failed to send your message. Please try later.” invalidEmailMessage=”Your email address does not appear valid.” image=”https://www.jungiantherapist.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/wpid-Discover-Your-Calling-Logo26.jpg” border=”true” collectfirstname=”true” collectlastname=”false” collectphone=”false” collectcompany=”false”]