Mind Adrift

Nathan Dumlao

‘‘Oh, oh what time is it? I was just ……..’

The interesting thing about daydreaming is that you don’t know you’ve done it until you’ve finished doing it.

When interrupted, a deep engagement in daydreaming has left me feeling like I‘ve been pulled away from a really good book, my hand still on the page I want to turn.

Time has a different measure from decades past. Who doesn’t feel the hands of the clock moving too quickly? The precious time of doing nothing needs to be on the to do list for the day with a box to check. Although we can make space for this, the invitation to follow that thought down the rabbit hole can’t be announced or strictly anticipated. Falling ‘idle’, I like that word and into the passage of daydreaming is certainly not wasting time. It’s minding the gap. It’s the exquisite expansion of the subconscious mind where we can hear our inner voice.

Daydreaming promotes the relaxed alpha brainwaves, giving way to creative thoughts which can breathe and flow. We are able to solve problems more efficiently so it improves production and performance when returning back to a task. As we follow our inner stream of consciousness our brain is actually becoming more highly stimulated, it’s not resting. Our best thoughts can happen when we switch to this default mode.

Daydreaming and imagination are partners. The more detailed and vivid our thoughts, the more parts of our brain get involved in building new synapses, giving us the capability of seeing things from new perspectives and understanding. When we allow our thoughts to blossom with complete freedom, there is no judging voice in the background. If there is, kick it out. It’s our own sanctuary and wonderfully private! We get to enjoy the interesting subconscious language of imagery, metaphors and feelings.

I missed a plane flight once, because I was daydreaming. Yes, not my best moment and much to the annoyance of my boyfriend. But I was still okay with my absenteeism. It was in the middle of a vacation so clearly I must have been quite relaxed.

We know that letting our mind go reduces stress levels. We can sleep better. It can increase cognitive memory, improve our mood and help with digestion. Primarily, I think most important of all is paying attention to our hopes, dreams and expectations, just makes us feel happier. 

Great, if you find yourself daydreaming while getting something done at the same time, like the washing up. Nobody seems to interrupt me at the kitchen sink, can’t think why. Water is definitely a conduit for mind expansion. And if you are lucky, after a mini vacation, it’s possible that a worrying, niggling thought can fade to rear seating. At least for 20 minutes.

I know that I come from an existence where time is irrelevant. I have left one foot back there.

There’s meaning in daydreaming. It’s our fuel and buoyancy. And any pushy parker who has the audacity to accuse us of wasting time, goofing off and dwardling, is clearly not in the club.

“There are certain half-dreaming moods of mind in which we naturally steal away from noise and glare, and seek some quiet haunt where we may indulge our reveries and build our air castles undisturbed. “

Washington Irving