Book excerpt: Where do dreams come from? By what light do we see them? What lights a dream? Dream theorists have been more interested in the content and implications of dreams or (when more scientifically inclined) their physiology. They have rarely considered the light, perhaps fearing where the search might lead. Rufus Goodwin, however, advances courageously where angels fear to tread. With subtle intelligence, persistence, and wit, Goodwin pursues his question in short, lucid chapters through thickets of competing theories. He takes an evenhanded approach, consulting those who work in dream laboratories, poets and writers, and those dreamers who, like himself (and us), have pondered dreams and their meaning in life. In the end, he arrives at the concept of "dreamlight" as a bridge between body and mind. This light, however, is not what it seems and has nothing to do with the brain's electrical activity. Rather, it is "living light"--a transpersonal element in our lives that says much about the nature and possibility of human consciousness. Rufus Goodwin will change and deepen your understanding of consciousness and dreams. Contents: Dreamland Hard Science of Dreams Dreams of the Blind Dream Idiom The Pact against Vitalism Medieval Dream Theory The Skunk Dream Freud's Fraud Is Life a Dream? Dreamlight: Bridge between Body and Mind Transpersonal Powers of Dreams Dreams As Windows of Light: A Workbook