Dreaming the Field: The Importance of Dreams for Self-Expression by John Milton. after a lengthy illness of which he was never fully recovered, John Milton wrote Dreaming the Field, one of his most beloved works. He includes a brief note on the subject in Paradise Lost: "For though we see, not now, that him that we love may be dead, / We can but dream that he is living, / And that he has a present to make." Though very short, Dreaming the Field gives great insight into the human condition and the role dreams play in it. In particular, it provides an example of how a poem can help us reflect upon our lives and on the path to happiness.
Milton begins Dreaming the Field with a description of an apple tree that bears two apples upon its branches. Two other apples, hidden in hay, surround this tree. This imaginary tree speaks to us as if through the medium of dreams. It asks questions about the values that are important to us, the things that we would like to have, and the belief systems that guide our actions.
Then comes the scene of a wild, lonely road. At the beginning, we see only a few cars. Two men in brightly covered outfits pass us on the way. One of them asks: "If you come to my farm, will you get my apples?" Immediately following the exchange, we see ourselves in our everyday lives: driving to work, eating lunch, making dinner, preparing breakfast, and so on.
The farm, however, is but a part of the actual field of Vision, where all things exist. In the example, this is represented by the actual landscape of existence. As in our own experience, all things appear as independent entities, existing apart from each other and yet connected through their own mutual relationship to everything else. In the metaphorical sense, then, the image of the apple tree links us to the actual experience of picking apples, and so to the happiness and fulfillment that result from that activity.
When we apply the example of Dreaming the Field to our own lives, it reminds us that even those things that seem to be outside of our experience, such as a job, a car, or a romantic relationship, are but a part of a much larger field of things that are happening around us every day. There is always something new to learn and discover. We can learn new skills and values, and gain new perspectives on how we interact with one another, on how we spend our time, and on how we survive. And because we are dreaming the field metaphorically, we also have the ability to find solutions to problems in our personal life, as well as in the world at large.
But what if your waking life is filled with reminders of the things you forgot to do? If your day was a series of bad breaks and dead ends, the dream may remind you of falling short of expectations, of not working hard enough, or of not taking enough action. This is why so many people who wake up each day feeling bad about themselves end up with more bad thoughts than they had before they got up. They fail to dream the field metaphorically, and therefore their life rarely changes. But the difference is that they have the power to overcome obstacles, to dream the life they want, and to create the life they need.
The process of dreaming the field is similar to that of dreaming your own reality, only it's a little more complicated. You have to picture yourself in all your full potential, and then visualize all the ways you will use that power. You can then create new goals, new ways to deal with the issues of the day, and you can even find creative ways to make your dreams come true.
When you wake up each day, remember that you have the power to dream the life you want, the world you want, and anything else you can imagine. Dreaming the fields will help you find all the answers you seek to move forward in life. So what are you waiting for? Dream the field!
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