Awakened people are different, but not better or worse than anyone else.  And if they say they dont know they are awakened, Id have to say that is unlikely.  That would be like not noticing you were hit by lightening.

Many do not admit it, while others make a living at it, for their own reasons.  Some, like Gangaji, make jokes about *selling water down by the river*.  Others keep quiet because they do not want to draw attention to themselves.

Personally, I just believe in honesty.  If you have had such an experience, say so.  If others dont believe you, so what?  They will after they too have had such an experience.

Wouldnt it be great if everyone were awakened ?  Wow, that would be great !!  What a different world we would live in.  But if you are not yet awakened, no doubt you will be in this life or another.  Dont knock what you dont understand.

Im remembering one time as a young man living in the barracks.  I was in the washroom and two black guys were talking nearby.  They kept calling each other *nigga*, and that bothered me.  Finally I went over and said, *You shouldnt be talkig that way. If we want the N word to go away, everyone has to stop using it.* 

They stopped talking and looked at me like I was from outer space for a minute.  Then went back to talking, and using the N word, as if nothing had happened.  I was quite convinced of the correctness and value of my lofty opinion, but I really had no idea of what it was to be black.  I did not understand where they were coming from, but they excused me, did not beat the crap out of me, because at least my heart was in the right place.

Quote: "Dreaming is an excellent form of self-inquiry.  "
.........

Yes, indeed.

Read books about it back in the early 70s, and started keeping a *dream diary* to help to remember them. 

Over the years its just become a part of life, that I consider to be as real as any other part of life.

Quote: "Dreaming, not dreaming. "
.........

Sometimes my dreams are just dreams, shifting, warping.

Other times I am dreaming, then become aware that I am dreaming, and it becomes a visionary affair.

The difference between visions and dreaming, I believe, is whether I know I am dreaming when I am dreaming.  That is what I would call dreaming.

Usually when I sit I just sit, not-doing.  But when I meditate I go into dreaming, and have visionary experiences.

In remembering normal dreams, I usually consider that they represent wants or fears.  But in visionary dreaming the things revealed are much more direct and meanings clear. 

Visions arent always pleasant.  Ive seen things that have greatly pained my heart.  And then at the same time heard someone who I thought was you making your usual quip comments, like l*aire de tant, l*aire de tant. 

It took me a while to figure out that is French for *much to see, much to see*.  Maybe thats you on a subconscious level, and you may not even know about it consciously.  But you have been helpful, if not kind, and I appreciate it.

Quote: "I had a dream of my whole body shaking ... readying itself for some unknown action
Then I woke up to see my left leg had gotten cramps
So painful that I could not ignore it
There was no way to relax ... to release the tension

After the cramps, I noticed I was still tired. And went back to sleep.
When I woke up, I didn't remember the incident.
Later, I had thought the whole incident was a dream.

I'm glad I am a heavy sleeper ... hehehe

"
.........

I had a dream of my whole body shaking, but when I awoke it was actually that my whole body was being shaken, so strongly that the whole bed was shaking.  At first I wasnt sure if I was being shaken or the bed was being shaken.

It was like a scene out of The Exorcist, and frightened me so badly I even called out, *Mom !!*  I would have to be pretty scared to do that.  Ive heard that was often the last thing coming over a pilots radio transmission when shot down and killed in combat, both in English and Japanese, calling out for their mom.

Then suddenly it stopped.  I figured it must have been one of the ghosts from the haunted Inn where I work, who came home with me.  I have seen them at work many times, as have many others, including the guests, but I never saw them around my house until I started working there.