Superstition in Oneiros

"When deep sleep falleth on men, fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake."
- Job 3:13-14

         Do not be fooled, however, into thinking that these few laws explain everything. The mind is far to subtle to be bound by mere laws. While much is explained by these laws, men's understanding in many areas is still quite limited. Thus there are certain phenomena which remain mysterious even to the more enlightened. As the saying goes, "there are more things in heaven and earth..."

         The common folk invent their own explanations for these events, layering them upon and confusing them with stories handed down to them. While these superstitions are often patently false, it is useful to understand them, due to their importance in the minds of the unenlightened.

         Here I will take the point of view of the classically educated, who explain away the ideas of more primitive folk.


J. Hanju Kim <hanjujkim-at-gmail-dot-com>
Last modified: Wed Nov 1 17:52:37 2000