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I keep having these disturbing dreams. Last night I dreamed that my life was a series of unhappy and unsatisfying scenes. An endless series of them. Like my life, and this world that I live in, was just no damn good. Near the end of the dream I’m walking through this strange town. In the middle of yet another unhappy, pointless scene. Like a Myth of Sisyphus deal. And I’m finally just worn down by the pointless toil of my life. I feel myself running out of gas. Like I’m on my last legs. Like I don’t have enough energy or motivation to keep trudging onwards in these pointless circles. I just want to lay down right there on the sidewalk and give up. But knowing that I can’t stop here. In this strange place, in this strange town. Knowing I have to keep moving forward. Even as there isn’t anything to move forward to. I’m a zombie trapped in a zombie world. . . . And then I woke up. And it wasn’t just a dream. It was my real life, too.
The Buddhists classify those kinds of dreams & experiences as “the animal realm.” There are also hellish realms, hungry ghost realms, human realms, & diva realms. These are all transitory states that we move in & out of based on karma, but I know the animal realm well. This realm includes depression, a sense of futility, & a strong since of being lost. Dreams include a lot of wandering (especially in strange towns). The animal realm is much better than the hungry ghost or hellish realms.