Sunrise Doppleganger
If you know you're half-asleep then you're already half-awake
dear creators,
On December 12th, I was in the middle of my lengthy morning commute when a sudden clear view of the eastern horizon exposed a peculiar sort of sunrise preview. It was 8:05am— twenty-five minutes before the actual sunrise (sadly, my phone camera does not do it any justice).
(This last shot was taken at 8:12am, when I realized I was late for work. Ten minutes later it had completely dissipated while the sun still hadn’t risen.)
I did a half-assed google search of this phenomena but couldn’t find anything apart from ‘ice crystals in the sky’. But then Luke mentioned ‘superior mirage’ and I’m thinking that might be it (here’s a link).
I grew up in the country with a clear view of the eastern horizon and I’m fond of watching the sky, in general, but I’ve never once seen a distinct pillar of light like this occur so far ahead of the sun.
Despite what science has to say, this sunrise doppelgänger was like a dream to me— in the way that dreams have their own existence and realness but don’t adhere to any distinct boundaries. I’ve come to believe that creative expression is an intentional form of dreaming— and I’m not the only one (not even close).
Here’s a clip from Ken Burns’ Jazz series where Duke Ellington responds to where his ideas come from:
Ellington: “Oh, man, I gotta million dreams. That’s all I do is dream. All the time.”
Interviewer: “I thought you play piano.”
Ellington: “Nah, this is not piano. This is dreaming (plays). That’s dreaming.
Sharing our dreaming offers others a chance to dream with us and to dream with their own intention. We aren’t entirely awake, alive and connected without this.
As Nina Simone said, “Everybody is half dead. Everybody avoids everybody— all over the place in most situations most all of the time. I know I’m one of those every-bodies. And to me, it is terrible.
And so all I’m trying to do all the time is open people up so they can feel themselves and let themselves be open to somebody else. That is all. That’s it.”
***
I just finished Part 1 of Haruki Murakami’s latest novel, The City and its Uncertain Walls. Dreams are a big part of it but I’m also already dreaming with the story— how do I know? Symbols and elements that I’ve read start showing up in my current reality as well as in my dreams while asleep.
It definitely creates a richer and wider landscape in my day to day existence— one where I catch fresh views beyond my habitual tunnels of thought.
Wishing all of you full-hearted dreaming into the New Year!
Big grin,
Corrie
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