Rainbows, Unicorns and other fanciful things
Human beings have long been fascinated by dreams—not only the fleeting images and stories we experience while asleep, but the deeper revelations they sometimes bring. In dreams, we may encounter insights and truths that feel out of reach in our waking state as though some hidden door has been momentarily opened. Journaling, it’s true, may help to flesh out those ideas and understand them in more detail.
Yet, most of our lives are not spent in dreamland. We are here, awake, interacting with others, navigating situations, and working on behaviours we’ve come to recognise in ourselves. We also pursue ‘other dreams’—the life goals and aspirations we hope to bring into reality. Having a moment of revelation is one thing; transforming yourself so that life’s situations turn out differently is something else. Can these two—insight and self-change—work together? Possibly. But it’s not automatic.
The challenge lies in holding onto the lesson. A valuable insight at 9 a.m. can vanish by 3 p.m., buried under distractions and old habits. This is where meditation plays a unique role. Unlike sleep, meditation allows you to go above—or beneath—the surface of the conscious mind while remaining fully awake. In that state, you can focus on the very issues your everyday mind keeps dodging. To do this well, you need both determination and sustained concentration.
Interestingly, some people dismiss meditation as an avoidance tactic or an escape—a way to bypass your ‘real’ self in favour of a lofty, detached awareness. But in its truest form, meditation is not about ignoring reality. It’s about rising to a higher level of awareness, then bringing that clarity back down into the messy, unpredictable world of everyday life. The aim is not to hover above your problems, but to meet them with new understanding and strength.
Still, some patterns of behaviour are stubborn—deeply ingrained, like old stains in fabric. A light rinse won’t do; they require patience, repeated effort, and sometimes a concentrated scrubbing. Meditation gives you the tools for that work, but the commitment to apply them rests with you.
