I'll open wide, and let my dreams come trueYesterday, I watched a fantastic episode of Star Trek Deep Space Nine (DS9) called Far Beyond the Stars, which is set in the 24th century.
I'll step aside, and let them all come through
I'll open wide, and let my dreams come true
And I will fly, and live my life with you Let My Dreams Come True by US3
"The dreamers are the saviours of the world. As the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so men, through all their trials and sins and sordid vocations, are nourished by the beautiful visions of their solitary dreamers. Humanity cannot forget its dreamers; it cannot let their ideals fade and die; it lives in them; it knows them as the realities which it shall one day see and know." As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen
Benjamin Sisko is the commander at DS9 and the spiritual emissary of the Bajoran people, a role he's not very comfortable with.
While his father is visiting, Benjamin tells him that he can't cope with his responsibilities and wishes he could just walk away and let someone else take over. Soon after, Benjamin starts having vivid visions where he sees himself as a black man called Benny Russell living in 1953 New York. Benny is working as a writer for a science fiction magazine.
Benjamin Sisko's colleagues, family and loved ones from DS9 are also with him in the 1953 reality. His writing colleagues are actually part of the crew on DS9 appearing in human form; his father is a preacher who keeps giving him messages he doesn't understand; his girlfriend Cassie is his girlfriend Kassidy from DS9; and his friend, a troubled black teenager is his son, Jake. As a black man in 1950s America, Benny encounters a lot of racism.
Benny finds himself writing stories about a Captain Benjamin Sisko at DS9. Although his colleagues are very impressed with his work, the editor refuses to publish his story because he believes America is not ready to accept a story by a black writer about a black captain of a space station. The preacher (his dad) encourages Benny to write the stories anyway. His editor comes round to the idea and agrees to publish his stories.
As Benny continues to write about Captain Sisko, he finds his stories so real that he starts seeing himself as Sisko. He believes he's having a nervous breakdown. He even finds himself drifting in and out of both realities: one minute he's in the 1950s with Cassie, the next he's in the 24th century with Kassidy.
One day the black teenager (Jake) is killed by two racist police officers. When Benny challenges the officers about their actions, they turn on him and beat him up. Benny is off work for a while. When he returns to work at the magazine, his editor tells that not only is the publisher is refusing to publish his science fiction stories, he is also sacking him. The distraught Benny tells the editor that while they can fire him and refuse to publish his stories, they can never take away Benjamin Sisko from his mind, as he's very real. While they are taking Benny away, presumably to the nearest psychiatrist hospital, the preacher comforts him. Benny asks the preacher what is happening to him and he tells him that he's both the dreamer and the dream.
Benjamin wakes up and finds himself back in DS9 in the 24th century as the captain. Apparently, he's only been asleep for a few minutes. He decides to stay on as captain. At the end of the episode, Benjamin wonders whether DS9 is the illusion and his life as Benny is reality.
Is Benny Russell in the 20th century an alternate version of the Benjamin Sisko in the 24th century; or is Benjamin Sisko the future version of Benny Russell?
I believe both realities are dreams.
What do I mean by dreams?
Dreams are all realities and possibilities that already exist as ideas. Dreaming is letting these ideas come true. That which is allowing the "dreams" to come true is the Dreamer.
I believe we are all in essence Dreamers, but most people have forgotten who they are.
The first time I remembered myself as the Dreamer was when I was ten years old and I had just been run over by a car. As I fell to the ground I heard a Voice in my head telling me what I was experiencing was a dream and not real.
Then in my twenties, when I started meditating, I experienced the Light within. I realised the Light was me as the Dreamer, that which is clothing itself with the infinite dreams.
Six years ago while I was in retreat, I had a vision where a being of Light told me to share my experiences and insights in writings. I pointed out to the Light that I didn't have the resources to do what was required but the Light assured me that I already had all I needed. All I have to do is trust and let them happen. That's exactly what happened.
Back to the Star Trek episode, both realities of Benjamin and Benny are dreams. In one dream set in 1950s America, a black man's work is rejected because of the colour of his skin. In another dream set in the 24th century, a black man is commander of a space station. I believe Benny's science fiction stories was his way of dreaming up an alternative reality where there is no longer any racism. If Benny had realised the power of dreaming, he could have lived out his dream of becoming a published science fiction writer in the 1950s, regardless of skin colour. Still, at least his dream as Benjamin Sisko did come true in the 24th century.
I believe the purpose of life is to dream wonderful dreams. In other words, I am here to realise myself as the Dreamer.
I am dreaming dreams of inexhaustible love, untold wonder and limitless magic.
Enocia
Related articles: The Power of Identification; A New Beginning; Seeing Green Shoots; When All is Said and Done, It's All Been Said and Done; Dreaming the Future; A Dream is A Dream is a Dream - Revisited; Letting Things Happen is Receiving What Already Is; One Dreamer, Many Players; Making Things Happen versus Letting Things Happen; Lucid Dreamer; Some Thoughts on Meditation - Haha; Trust in Love to Sort out the Details; Love Downloads; What is Evolution?; Accident or Omnipresence at Work?
