Abstract I lived in the Los Angeles Hare Krishna temple from ages 22 to 32, 10-1/2 years. The organization was a branch of Hinduism that turned to crime in the 1980s and is still trying to rehabilitate itself. As a full-time member I worked in an office where we defended the organization's reputation to the media. After I exited the group on December 26, 1988, I lost contact with most of the people from that life. They also faded from my dreams. This study will look at the continuity of one person's dreams over time, specifically how dream characters leave and new characters enter after a major life change. I will also examine the dream lag it took for new recurring characters to appear in my dreams after I met them. Hypothesis After a major life change, if I lose contact with old friends and meet new people, then my dreams will reflect these changes. Further, statistics from the dreams will confirm the transition of dream characters. Method I identified 5 people who entered my dreams since I left the temple. Then I coded and counted them and compared their dream frequency to a control group of established dream characters. Source of Statistics Statistics for the new dream characters come from each character's most dense dream cluster. The dream clusters ranged from two months to one year. Statistics for the control group come from 1986. I chose 1986 because it was the first year I recorded all my dreams, for a total of 298 dreams. By that time I was firmly established in my Hare Krishna milieu. Results I found that one or two dreams a year is inconsequential, but could reflect an acute concern that went away. One or two dreams a year out of 298 dreams (like in 1986), comes to .33% (one dream), or .67% (two dreams). Someone who appears in 2.5% of my dreams has most likely reached my level of concern. That would be 7 or 8 dreams out of 298.
Control Group Original Series Cast (people I've known at least since my 20s) Statistics from 1986 Family of Origin {f} father, Bill {m} mother, Paula {b} brother, Bill {r-Paula} Cousin Paula {r-Tina} Aunt Tina Lifelong Friends {k-Kyle} {k-Kerry} {k-Jolie] {k-Jan} Hare Krishna People * {k-Mukunda} PR office (head) * {h} Dave, husband * {k-Steve G.} friend * {k-Steve H.} friend * {k-Kathryn} friend {k-Bhutatma} PR office {k-Bharata} PR office {k-Yasodamayi} PR office {k-Ramesvara} "guru" {k-Koumadaki} guru's secretary {k-Kosarupa} friend {k-Krsangi} friend * people from the temple I kept in contact with.	Hare Krishna People Attrition People I stayed in contact with: {k-Mukunda} PR office (head) Part 1: 354 dreams 40s: 80 dreams 50s: 12 dreams 60s: 13 dreams {h} Dave, husband Part 1: 979 dreams 40s: 140 dreams 50s: 69 dreams 60s: 59 {k-Steve G.} friend Part 1: 61 dreams 40s: 7 dreams 50s: 14 dreams 60s: 6 dreams {k-Steve H} friend Part 1: 10 dreams 40s: 22 dreams 50s: 6 dreams 60s: 10 dreams {k-Kathryn} friend Part 1: 82 dreams 40s: 32 dreams 50s: 15 dreams 60s: 1 dream People I did not stay in contact with: {k-Bhutatma} PR office Part 1: 52 dreams 40s: 9 dreams 50s: 0 dreams 60s: 2 dreams {k-Bharata} PR office Part 1: 16 dreams 40s: 8 dreams 50s: 1 dreams 60s: 0 dreams {k-Yasodamayi} PR office Part 1: 92 dreams 40s: 17 dreams 50s: 3 dreams 60s: 1 dream {k-Ramesvara} "guru" Part 1: 178 dreams 40s: 23 dreams 50s: 0 dreams 60s: 4 dreams {k-Koumadaki} guru's secretary Part 1: 69 dreams 40s: 25 dreams 50s: 0 dreams 60s: 1 dream {k-Kosarupa} friend Part 1: 18 dreams 40s: 0 dreams 50s: 1 dream 60s: 0 dreams {k-Krsangi} friend Part 1: 16 dreams 40s: 1 dream 50s: 0 dreams 60s: 0 dreams
Experimental Group New Guest Stars Statistics from dream clusters {k-Jaconbson} Professor Jacobson, UCLA art teacher {k-Savicki} Professor Savicki, WOSC thesis chair {k-Sallie} friend {k-Sri} friend & godson {k-Tim} Ex-fiancé Introduction Part 1 - Two Professors Part 2 - Two New Friends Part 3 - Ex-Fiancé Part 4 - Statistics Part 5 - Dreams Conclusions