The Secret History of Dreaming

by Robert Moss

What do the first major oil discovery in Kuwait, Mark Twain’s fiction, and Harriet Tubman’s success conducting slaves to freedom via the Underground Railroad have in common? They were all experienced first in dreams. Dreaming is vital to the human story. It is essential to our survival and evolution, to creative endeavors in every field, and, quite simply, to getting us through our daily lives. Robert Moss traces the strands of dreams through archival records and well-known writings, weaving remarkable yet true accounts of historical figures influenced by their dreams. With eloquent prose, Moss describes beautiful Lucrecia de Leon, whose dreams were prized by powerful men in Madrid and then recorded during the Spanish Inquisition, as well as the fascinating dream correspondence between Wolfgang Pauli and Carl Jung. The Secret History of Dreaming addresses the central importance of dreams and imagination as secret engines in the history of all things human, from literature to quantum physics, from religion to psychology, from war to healing.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, History, Spirituality, Reference, Metaphysics, Historical

352 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2008

Reviews

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

 
 
"For peoples who live close to the earth...dreaming is a way to communicate with the earth and all that shares life on it. Everything is alive. Everything will speak to you - and speak through you - if you will pay close attention. Dreaming is ... about being attuned, at every turning, to the speaking land."

This exploration covers much more ground than I expected. I think there might be something here for everyone. Moss traces the highly significant yet often undervalued dreaming, visioning, and coincidental experiences of specific cultures, religions, individual writers, musicians, scientists and other historical figures. He reminds us of something we knew but may have forgotten. "In modern Western societies, we think of dreams as sleep experiences. But for many cultures, dreaming is fundamentally about waking up. In the language of ancient Egypt, the word for dream is rswt, which means 'awakening.' The implication is that, in much of ordinary life, we are in the condition of sleepwalkers, following programs and routines. In dreams, we wake up. This may happen during sleep, or in a twilight state of reverie, or in a vision or meditation or shamanic journey, or through the dreamlike play of coincidence and symbolic 'pop-ups' in the midst of everyday life - all of which may be viewed as modes of dreaming and may provide experiences that can be reviewed and honored in the manner of dreams."

Many people are careful to distinguish simple dreaming – the stream of images that arrive in sleep, impulsed by the often over-loaded conscious and subconscious minds – and the more purposeful, soul-driven story-like dreaming, astral body traveling, light body traveling, etc. as separate categories of experience. I appreciate that Moss includes many waking and sleeping experiences under the umbrella of "dreaming." It is very useful if we are simply trying to remember that dreams, and dreaming over time, can help resolve something which may seem a little too close, and can localize anything, anything, which seems far.

Moss spends some time on the teachings of Synesius of Cyrene (c. 370), who encouraged his readers to keep journals of both nighttime and daytime "signs and synchronicities" – these often being highly personalized meaningful mini-plays – occurrences that are anything but random, arriving in recognizable ways which somehow "make sense" and which can provide insight, inspiration, and guidance within the unfolding of our individual stories and within the larger stories unfolding around us. Synchronicities serve to reinforce or simply acknowledge something we just "learned" or connected with, and often they become the foundation for some larger understanding that is to come. Quoting Synesius, Moss writes, "'All things are signs appearing through all things.... They are brothers in a single, living creature, the cosmos.... They are written in characters of every kind.' The deepest scholarship lies in reading the sign language of the world; the true sage is a person 'who understands the relationship of the parts of the universe.'" This understanding, which is aware of the One in and through the Many, is a knowing of all-connectedness that we all carry at all times. As Synesius says, it is something we cannot escape, even if we wanted to. Then, we are all sages. We have only to re-member.

For this reason, Synesius and others who emphasize inner knowing, discourage the over-use of dream dictionaries for their tendency to supply sweeping interpretations while ignoring important details and personal meaning – color, size, whether the action was occurring indoors or out, whether the dreamer was aware of direction, whether the dreamer had feelings or reactions to the action, etc. (In addition, some of the dream dictionaries currently available in text rely too heavily upon the thinking of Freud, who was a bit one-directional.)

((   Stepping aside of Moss for a moment, for those who are seeking ways to better understand their own dreams, my own experience is that dream dictionaries, symbology, the insights of other people, observing metaphor in art, writing, etc. are great places to start - especially for understanding the bigger picture(s), becoming familiar with symbols or images that share the same basic meanings across cultures, for gaining insight into the collective conscious, subconscious, and super-conscious minds and how things are connected, and for adopting/adapting your own sign sets. I recommend balancing older and newer Western sources on dreaming with what is offered through Eastern philosophy/systems of thought, and with what is offered in other older indigenous cultures. (Moss provides a good foundation here.) For those who dream a lot about animals or who are aware of many different animals entering the view/space (insects and "pests" included! ; ) I recommend a guide on animal totems over the standard dream dictionary. From this broad base, you can choose whatever sources work best for you, and you will soon have your own growing set of images, symbols, and mini-plays to help you make sense of your inner and outer worlds while helping you to expand them at the same time! Though it can be time-consuming, logging your dreams will help you recall more detail and will provide deeper levels of insight as you go along – also valuable for creative inspiration. Trust that your intuition and discernment will serve you well. At the very least, you will be entertained! …You can even direct the night’s dreaming with an intent (hopefully a no-harm-to-others intent! directed to whomever – yourself/higher self, guides, guardian angels, God, the multi-verse?!…): "I would like to understand …", etc. And don’t forget to ask for help remembering your dreams!   : ))

Back to Moss!

On one of the dream experiences of physicist Wolfgang Pauli:

"In one of his big dreams, Pauli arrives at his old home and finds a dark-skinned young man pushing letters and a round piece of wood into the house through a window. Pauli knows this young man from previous dreams and thinks of him as Persian. The Persian has been refused entry to the place where Pauli lives and works.
             Pauli: 'You are not allowed to study?'
             'No, therefore I study in secret.'
             'What subject are you studying?'
             'You!'
             Pauli is shocked. 'Are you my shadow?'
             'I am between you and the Light, so you are my shadow, not the other way round.'
             'Are you studying physics?'
             'There your language is too difficult for me, but in my language you do not understand physics.'
             'What are you doing here?'
             'I am here to help you.'"
 
 

[Tami · Rating 5 out of 5]

Often the assumption is made that dream analysis is a new age concept. Nothing could be further form the truth. Throughout the ages, people have valued dreams as a very important part of their lives.

For many ancient cultures, dreams were simply another dimension of life experience. In effect, dreams provided insight and the tools needed for this world. Dreams have also been responsible for some of the greatest inventions and most important moments of history.

The Secret History of Dreaming is a fascinating book that looks at dreams over the course of human history. The format is much like Joseph Campbell’s books with articles about particular subjects grouped into sections. Those who study dream work and dreaming will find this work particularly useful.

[Mark · Rating 2 out of 5]

Let me say first off I appreciate the fine job Robert Moss did researching and writing the Secret History of Dreaming. Stories which include Synesius of Cyrene, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, Aleksei Remizov, Joan of Arc, Lucrecia De Leon Harriet Tubman, Mark Twain, Winston Churchill, and many others will definitely keep your attention. I found myself wanting to read more of their histories.

There are many nuggets in this book related to dreaming which resonate with me. For example, "Working on a dream is not about laying bare some hidden message, but about giving a pitch-perfect voice to what is there, in front of you (117). Like many of those featured in the book, I keep a dream journal or at least try to reflect on my dreams upon waking. No need to go to a dictionary of dream symbols.

Problem for me is, this book has less to do with what I normally associate with normal dreaming than it does with divination, visions and visitations (angelic, demonic, visitations from the dead, etc.). Dreams according to Moss transport one out of the body, can frequently be vehicles for prophecy and predicting the future, for spying in wartime and political situations, image healing, etc. Often the dreams of the dreamers include dream guides. But who or what are these guides in reality?

In the epilogue Moss concludes with how "we need to revive and nurture the true art of seership." This includes those who function in the role of 1) "receivers" (waking or sleeping) who communicate with dream guides which often include the deceased 2) "travelers" who literally go to other places in this world or possibly other dimensions in their dreams and 3) "far-seers" with expanded perspectives.

I can agree with what others have written (and to which Moss would agree) with regard to dreaming as providing new perspectives on situations in waking life, as a spur for creativity and problem solving, as an inner therapist, as "threat simulation" which improves ability to identify threats and increase responsiveness, and even as a vehicle which God (or spirits) sometimes use to communicate with us. I agree that we need to pay attention to our dreams and as global societies begin to recall and reflect upon them again more. But the assumptions in this book left me feeling uncomfortable. Just too much for me. For a better, balanced, and fairly recent perspective coming from the scientific angle, read "The Mind at Night: The New Science of How and Why We Dream" by Andrea Rock.

[Lissa Notreallywolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Modern Americans are largely shifting to the notion that dreams are merely some sort of junk pile of conscious life, but for most of humanity's history dreams have been treated with more respect. Here is a book discussing the role of dreams in the creative and governing process of some very seminal figures in history. We learn that the Kuwaii oil strike that made the Mideast such a contentious point in modern times was the work of a British dreamer, who reported to the sheik. The sheik had seen results from this dreamer in the past and knew he was wet nursed by the Bedouin culture, and thereby honored his nocturnal insights. I didn't know that Sojourner Truth had visions of flying as a crow above the landscape and that this was part of why she was able to evade the slave catchers. I had no idea that Winston Churchill and Mark Twain had nocturnal visions, both of which shaped the lives of their dreamers. Here also I learn that Iceland still has a tradition of dreaming, fit to rival the traditions of native Americans and indigenous Australians. He seeks to give us enough famous dreamers to speak for the countless unsung dreamers of history who have had insight to offer their societies, going so far as to quote Machiavelli on societies which execute their dreamers, who always appear before a fall. Moss foresees a world where we consult this ancient visionary practice to give ourselves no-tech guidance. If for no other reason, read this book to choose your next set of fascinating biographies! I saw shades of Sojourner Truth in the Sue Kidd Monk book on the Grimke sisters and in the works of Toni Morrison, which I hadn't been aware of in the past. I ended up watching a documentary on Winston Churchill because I read this book. I realized that Sens8 made a lot more sense after finishing it. Highly recommended.

[Aeron · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow. This book was a trip, and definitely got me excited about dreaming. First off, it's beautifully written. Robert Moss is a first rate story-teller, weaving tales with beautifully precise details. At times, I felt like I was reading fiction. And I think some people would write off much of this book as fiction, but I am more of a believer.

The quick summary: this is an anthropological study of dreams through various cultures at different times in human history. He looks at famous people who he believes were active dreamers, among them Joan of Arc and Mark Twain. Much of what these people accomplished in their lives was due to their dreamworld experiences, whether they were visitations from spiritual beings made in dream states, or visitations of the dreamer to other places, both real and spiritual or other-worldly. Moss, an active dreamer himself, concludes that dreaming provides a very real function in human society, and that a society that minimizes or limits the value of dreams is at danger of cutting itself off from important information. I tend to agree with him.

[Lettie Prell · Rating 5 out of 5]

My copy of The Red Book by Carl Jung arrived recently. It is huge and remarkable, and it has arrived at a fitting time of year, with the sun drawn down to darkness, toiling over the circumstances of its rebirth. I've done no more so far than to open it at random and gaze within at a single page, and then close it quietly.

Robert Moss' The Secret History of Dreaming is the more approachable of the two books, by far. Friendly, engaging, and informal, it takes the reader by the hand through the basics of what we know about dreaming, and then coaxes one along, farther and farther, until one is deep in the mysteries of this practice. It's a great adventure, no matter what you think of it all. The stories about Churchill, Harriet Tubman, John Lennon and others are illustrative and thought-provoking.

As someone who has kept a dream journal herself, The Secret History rings true. Highly recommended.

[Donald · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is amazing how many people in high position have had dreams which defined various courses of action, and affected the path of humanity. I think it was John Lennon who claimed that the songs he and Paul wrote based on dreams were much better than the collaborative formulaic songs they worked on together. The song, Yesterday, was a lovely song Paul had in his head after dreaming it. And, Let It Be, came to Paul which was based on a dream visitation from his deceased mother, Mary. Too bad John didn't heed his death dream.
Joan of Arc could "see" things playing out at a distance and could tell of future greatness. From her mid-teens she knew she was chosen to rally the French people against the English. She had a shamanic ability to see and travel as if out of body.
Harriet Tubman was also a gifted seer and astral traveler. She was thought to have Ashanti blood in her veins from a people known for their ability to "see" where to hunt. She escaped slavery but went back quite a few times to guide others along what is known as the Underground Railroad. She was never caught. It was said that she would stop along the way sometimes, just to take a moment to dream. Those dreams allowed her to avoid traps.
There are also stories of Winston Churchill, Mark Twain, and Wolfgang Pauli, among others. I could go back and read this one again, I enjoyed it so much.
Thanks, Robert. It was truly a goodread.

[Mike S · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, Moss is a very talented writer, he does great research, and he is sincere and devoted to his work. I have a huge amount of respect for him, even though I don't subscribe to all of his beliefs. I do find great value in following my dreams, and that alone makes anything he ever wrote worth reading, imo. This book has great chapters, I especially enjoyed reading about Mark Twain, and Joan of Arc. He inspired me to read more about both of these people, and to start keeping a dream journal again. If you're interested in dreams and how useful they can be, Moss is a must read!

[Cynthia Kolle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Like the flutter of butterfly wings, the energy of dreams can raise the vibration of the collective consciousness to change the world. In The Secret History of Dreaming, I found it interesting that in each culture, dreaming was looked at as an important tool, making connections that have gone unnoticed in our physical and Spiritual space. Being a dream archeologist is something that not only do I love, but helps me help others on their journey! This is something want to continue to learn. The deeper I go, the more my waking reality seems boring!

[Tadeas Petak · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wicked book, mostly because it deals with a topic that often feels almost shun by our ”glorification of busy” Western society. The author - who has written a good number of pages on the matter at hand - is, clearly, an avid dreamer himself.

He goes out of his way to explain practices of both ancient and contemporary (e.g. Icelanders!) peoples in detail, as well as the significance of the dream state and dream space to these nations, tribes and cultures. Throughout the human history, the purpose of dreaming has ranged from communicating with the soul, gods, higher self, through precognitive and prophetic functions to good old plain entertainment. It is surprising how many cultures have been of the opinion that the one who does not dream cannot fulfil the wishes of his or her soul and has, therefore, lost one of the capacities central to humanity.

It is fascinating how many dreams accurately portending future events have been written down - from Egypt through medieval times to almost, well, now (Lynyrd Skynyrd taking a vote whether they should be taking a plane that later crashed, John Lennon dreaming about a chubby, bespectacled guy who would shoot him close to Central Park…). I am trying to keep both my feet on the ground but what if there really is some veil that you can go through while dreaming? Get a glimpse of the backstage? Peek into the future?

The second part of the book pries into the lives of six significant historical figures whose lives were fundamentally influenced by dreams. To be honest, in some cases the dreams feel so essential that life and dreams are simply inextricably intertwined.

It talks about Joan (Jehane) of Arc, her recognising the king among common people (or common nobility) and some pretty badass visionary things regarding deers. Spanish Lucrecia, whose dreams were recorded by inquisition, was an extremely avid and influential dreamer and the dreams and visions of Harriet Tubman, one of the central figures of the Underground Railroad, saved the lives of an incredibly large number of people. Mark Twain’s life seemed to have been driven by (ostensible) coincidence. I really liked the part where he figured that if he wants to hear from someone, it is enough to write them a letter and then rip it apart. The energy expended on writing is enough for a ”coincidence” of receiving a letter from them to occur. Pauli and Jung’s lives and their being able to see things (or blow things up) are simply incredible, and so is Churchill’s with his admiration of fiction and an incredible intuition combined with encyclopedic knowledge of history.

Recommended to everyone, especially the people who feel like they don’t have the time to read a book like this :)

[Rena Sherwood · Rating 2 out of 5]

My review originally appeared in my blog Dreaming of Peter http://dreamingofpeter.blogspot.com/2...

If The Secret History of Dreaming (New World Library; 2009) was a person, he or she would be schizophrenic. Acclaimed writer and radio show host Robert Moss doesn't seem to know quite what direction this book should go in. If he had kept to historical facts instead of wandering off on his own bizarre tangents, I would gladly recommend this book. Instead, I only urge you to tale it out of a public library.

Two Parts

The book is divided into two parts. The first is a history of how dreams were used in ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, the Egyptians and the Chinese. This is the best part of the book. It's interesting to see how other civilizations mused about dreams. Like us, they also wondered why they dreamt, where dreams came from and if the people they dreamt about were real. But mostly, dreams were seen as a way to glimpse the future.

The second part falls into the "What's the point of this" territory pretty quickly. It takes a very close view of the dream lives of several historical figures, including Joan of Arc, Mark Twain, Harriet Tubman and Winston Churchill. Although an interesting read, it doesn't quite mesh with the first part of the book. Moss takes liberties with these historical re-tellings using a technique he calls "dream archaeology." In other words -- he made it up.

The Book's Big Problem

The main problem of this book is that Moss, for all of his pages of footnotes and research, mentions that books like the Bible are fact and not mythology. The Bible has not proven to be an accurate historical account by any means. This makes Moss look like a bit of an idiot and taints any credibility he has as an historian. These personal views taint an otherwise interesting history book.

Reading the author blurb at the back of the book, you see that Moss has created a modern dream and shamanism course called Active Dreaming. You can't quite help but wonder if The Secret History of Dreaming was written just as promotional material for his course and his radio show "Way of the Dreamer."

Oh, and there is nothing in the book on lucid dreaming, although the epilogue hints that people in the near future will dream healing dreams as a routine part of their health care. What? I got what he meant -- referring to the Dream Temples in ancient Greece -- but it just seemed out of left field.

[Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a cool book. Describes the phenomena of dreaming through the stories of a myriad of different persons throughout history. Also, the author describes many cultural attitudes and curiosities about dreaming in various societies in the past and present. What is interesting about the cases described is the degree of detail about the people's dreams that survives, the predictive ability, and the relevance their dreams had to their lives and to the choices they made. Even if the situations depicted are best described as random coincidences between the dreamers' internal and external lives it is still amazing that, for at least some people in history, such coincidences did exist. Even more impressive are the anecdotes of tribal civilizations whose ways of living are not only cognizant of a dream world but are in fact chiefly organized and shaped by that dream world. All in all quite an eye opener for someone entrenched in the modern western view of the world. Certainly revitalizes the idea that there are other ways of living that may not be inferior in all, or even perhaps in any, of the most important ways.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although I think the modern world is too skeptical of dreams, Moss may be overly accepting, apparently willing to find merit in almost anything. That being said, he has collected fascinating stories from many cultures and traditions, providing a lot of food for thought.

There are very strong chapters on ancient traditions and on modern psychology, with the development of the theories of Freud and Jung. I feel he loses some ground in the middle, where he seems to imagine a lot into the stories of historical figures like Joan of Arc where there is information that is not recorded.

I was looking at dreams more for their role in psychology and intuition, but there were some strong reminders of their artistic value for writers and musicians as well that felt serendipitous to me. Worth reading and I think worth revisiting.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a facinating, mind-opening read for me. I've always been interested in dreams and Moss puts them into their historical and cultural contexts. The highlight for me was the second half, where Moss devotes a chapter each to some famous historical figures including: Joan of Arc, Mark Twain (my personal favorite), Harriet Tubman, Wolfgang Puck & Carl Jung, and Winston Churchill. I learned so much about these people that I never knew, things that make them even more remarkable as people we study for their genius, creativity, courage, whatever. I will never see them the same way. Reading this has made me even more interested in using my dreams in my day to day life and has inspired me to check out some of his other books. It seems he is somewhat of a dream guru. I highly recommed this book to everyone. Very enlightening.

[Cypress Butane · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this and got a lot out of it, I guess because it was a good book but mainly because of some coincidences that linked up the subjects covered with some things I'm studying and writing about, like the portion covering Winston Churchill as a "time traveler". So, it's a good book sure, but I think it was kind of spotty as a general history of dreaming. I think the first half covers the history of dreaming, mostly, to a point, but then it skips to some specific historical figures and focuses on them at the loss of a feel for a larger picture. But I guess I can't complain because that's when I got the most out of it, so there you go.

[Caroline Sherwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A like-new hardback copy arrived from Ebay. Lucky me! I'm fortunate to be a student of Robert Moss' dreamwork approach and this book is foundational to that. Unlike anything I've ever read - his erudition, personal exploration and scholarship are impressive as his broad mind trawls the cultures of the world to shine a light into the nighttime of so many traditions, and record their insights. Filled with memorable anecdotes and packed full of follow-up references. A must-have for any serious Dreamer...

[Tippy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book took me a long time to read. I found it slow, but with enough interesting anecdotes to keep me reading. It definitely has me more interested in thinking about my dreams and the use of the dream world to inspire or as a devise in artistic endeavors (Like in my favorite novels, the Twilight series!). The more compelling anecdotes were the stories of Joan of Arc and Harriet Tubman. I also liked his explanations of dream travel and meeting with people in dreams.

[Fanta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked learning about the "history" of dreaming. This person isnt the best of writers...more like lectures and sometimes hard to follow train of chapters how they were related/sequenced to one another The topic was very interesting and the writer who was very knowledgeable about his topic.

[Janis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. The author looks at how dreaming has been viewed and approached throughout history. It was interesting to see how various cultures have dealt with dreams ~ from very practical interpretations to wildly spiritual. Fascinating peek into how dreams influenced some famous figures in history.

[René · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I may have been looking for something different, but was surprised how interested I became in the indigenous history of dreams. Like Astrology, our modern society has been conditioned to disbelieve, dismiss and scoff at its importance, when in truth, these ancient practices can be of great value to our ungrounded spirits.

[Dryw Hart · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting read.
At the outset, the author discloses that he's going to "read between the lines" of history, which essentially means he's going to make things up based on his interpretation of the evidence. Unfortunately, it's not clear when reading the book which parts are real agreed-upon history and which are pure speculation by the author.

Still thought provoking.

[Marla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating stories about what dreams can teach us. Did you know that John Lennon dreamed about the Dakota and the chubby man a year ahead of his murder? But he didn't know what it meant. I think dream interpretation should be taught in schools!

[Nihil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm always skeptical going into a Robert Moss book because I feel like he stretches the facts a bit to fit his corner of the dream market, but this is still a pretty good book. Apparently, Mark Twain was interesting. Who knew?

[Arika Escalona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technically this is history, but it is truly mind blowing stuff. Definitely with an edge bordering on the paranormal...it explores the visions and dreams of various historical figures and their role on effecting the course of history. The Harriet Tubman chapter was my favorite.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, but not Robert's best book. Some sections better than others. I liked the Churchill chapter. Robert seems bent on demonstrating that dreams can help us avoid things in the future, or could, if we paid attention. For my taste he pushes the point a bit.

[Yarrow · Rating 2 out of 5]

It starts well, but the writing deteriorates and the research is scatchy and superficial the further in you get. How did Robert Moss not know that Winston Churchill used remote viewers to spy on Hitler's war cabinet? These dream-spies were able to help sink German war ships, for instance.

[Xavier · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read.

[Bick · Rating 4 out of 5]

very interesting mythistory of dreaming throughout the ages. good reading for any budding oneironauts out there.

[Nikolai Nikiforov · Rating 2 out of 5]

Several interesting facts, ideas, references etc, but a mediocre "journalistic" style and rather inarticulate conclusions.

[Shelley Matthews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good so far, but not the easiest of reads. What it lacks in plain English clarity, it make up for with fascinating insight!