Dream Alchemy: Transforming Memories into Vivid Imagery

When it is time to sleep, our thoughts and memories begin an astonishing transformation: they seem to be translated into the language of symbols, turning into bright and rich images. During sleep, memory actively works, as every impression—whether visual, auditory, or sensory—acquires a new life. This process can be compared to a magical dance in which calm recollections and fleeting emotions transform into impressive canvases of fantasy.

Indeed, during sleep our soul experiences unique moments when logic gives way to sensual interpretation. Sensory impressions, infused with emotions and passions, become a kind of catalyst for creating images that are not confined by the strict boundaries of the rational mind. Under conditions of reduced bodily activity, these transformations occur almost imperceptibly, yet they form a symphonic array of pictures, where every tone reflects deep inner experiences.

Thus, dreams are not merely random images, but a process of active interplay between memory and imagination. Our mind, liberated from daily concerns and conscious thought, allows feelings and emotions to fully unfold, creating rich and layered images. This process fills our nocturnal journey with wonder and the realization that even in a state of rest, our inner world continues to actively create and transform.

How do our thoughts transform into dream images?
The answer is based on the fact that during sleep our thoughts, impressions, and memories undergo a special transformation—they are “re-coded” into symbolic and often rich images. It can be said that during sleep there is an active movement of memory, when elements of real perception—visual, auditory, and other sensory impressions—along with internal emotional states, such as passions, transform into vivid, fantastical pictures.

For example, one source states:
"It is necessary to investigate how the demons capture our sovereign essence and produce images in it during dreams. For it appears that the same happens with the mind, when it either sees something via the eyes or hears something via the ears, or perceives something through one of the senses, or draws from memory—memory which captures the sovereign essence not through the body, but sets in motion what it has received through the body. Thus, it appears to me that in some dreams demons set memory in motion, imprinting the sovereign essence onto the soul, for the body remains inactive during sleep. Furthermore, it is necessary to investigate how exactly demons set memory in motion. Perhaps through passions? – Yes, and this is evident from the fact that pure and fearless men do not experience anything of the sort. Yet there is also a simple movement of memory, initiated either by ourselves or by holy forces—and then we meet in dreams with holy men, converse and share a meal with them."
(source: link )

Additionally, it is stated that the transformation of sensory impressions into active images of fantasy is the key mechanism by which the soul enters a state of activity that is not governed by the conscious mind. This is illustrated in the following excerpt:
"The transformation of sensory impressions into active images of fantasy leads the soul to a state of active engagement, unnoticed by the mind."
(source: link )

Thus, our thoughts and sensory experiences, stored in memory under conditions of reduced bodily activity during sleep, can unexpectedly “come alive.” In this process, emotions and inner passions play a catalytic role, assisting in the transformation of calm memories and fleeting impressions into rich and sometimes symbolically charged dream images. The form of these images is determined not so much by logical sequence as by the emotional and sensual interpretation of the information preserved in memory, allowing perception to evolve into a complex symbolic representation.