Statistics indicate that sleep deprivation is on the rise. Once the natural and regenerative gift of humankind, it is now becoming a rare and prized commodity.

Lack of sleep affects the consciousness of humans in several ways. The one trapped in the mirrors of the egoic self uses the four stages of dreaming to guide his or her life and to facilitate graceful — rather than traumatic — change. Guidance is obtained by interpreting the dream symbols that speak through dreams as a language from the psyche.

For the master who has left the world of mirrors and lives from his or her pristine state of being beyond contracted or expanded awareness, there are seven levels of dreaming available. Each offers guidance by revealing levels of potential that are accessible for articulation. The contribution of the deeper levels of the psyche enriches the experience of everyday life. Shallow or disrupted sleep, on the other hand, produces superficial and shallow living. Shallowness of living increases the tendency toward a materialistic society.