Lehal Library

I seemed to me that my deep morning slumber had been interrupted by the discomfort and mild pain of numbness in my left arm, which my head had been lying on while I slept. The desire arose within me to get rid of that discomfort. I moved my numb arm in front of me and opened my eyes. But I couldn't see the physical arm in front of me, even though I clearly felt it there and could curl and uncurl my five fingers and bend the arm at the elbow. This all made me somewhat confused. I clearly understood that something like this could not happen in the normal physical world. I decided that this was a very realistic dream, and that in order to wake up, I would simply need to close my eyes and strain my brain with the desire to awaken. That thought was followed by action. I opened my eyes shortly thereafter, thinking that I had finally woken up. Before me was the daily reality that I always observe upon awakening: a large window through which sunlight pours onto my bed in the center of the room, a desk and chair, a bookcase of academic literature, and a wardrobe with clothing in it. Just like always. I decided to spend this weekday-off (I had a lot of days off that week) getting calm, easy rest. I sat up Indian-style in bed with my elbows on my knees. I squinted, enjoying the rays of May sun massaging my face. It was warm, and the air was fresh. And I felt a sense of peace pour through my body like a sort of unearthly sweet nectar. I turned to look around. And suddenly, that state of relaxation abruptly changed into cold and shivering, the sense of peace transformed into terrible fear - my body was lying behind me! Panic. I glanced at those hands in front of me that I could feel but not see. They were lying peacefully on the bed alongside my body. I touched them and felt their velvety skin, yet not feeling the sensation with my physical hands. I tried to return to my body. I lay down into it, closed my eyes, straining in an attempt to wake up. I opened my eyes and got up, but the body was still lying there. Fear, otherworldly mortal fear. Tears. Perplexity. Incomprehension. The question, "what next?" And all around me was that bright and sunny day.