Lehal Library

6. Segue Not being at all loath to borrow a word or term from one cultural context and apply it aptly here, “segue” is defined as a proper interlude of musical melodies and harmonies that moves from the conclusion of one composition to the introduction of another. “Proper” infers a transition that smoothly loses that previous theme or mood and sets the stage for what is to come. So this is a segue. The movement from what we have labeled “local traffic,” i.e., events and activities that relate directly to here-now time —space, filled with much congestion, motivations, devious highways and byways, misconceptions, overwhelming emotions, detours, road repairs, confusing and conflicting signposts, inaccurate road maps, baits and lures both subtle and obnoxious—and dreams, ideas, learning, love … To “interstate,” where virtually all of the rules, patterns, illusions, and the rest of “local traffic,” with few exceptions, are nonexistent. To begin the segue, here is the mix of premises and conclusions we had reached by mid-1984: 1. All humans move into the out-of-body state during sleep. Going, falling, dropping asleep is simply a process of moving out of phase with physical time-space. As the event takes place, the various stages of sleep are readily interpreted if viewed from this perspective. Thus deep or “delta” sleep represents the point where consciousness is completely detached from physical reality, and the physical body is operating on an autonomic basis with preprogrammed alert and alarm systems to recall consciousness if needed. The fact that most human consciousnesses do not or cannot recall or remember these nightly excursions is insufficient proof that they do not take place. A night of OD’ing on booze can provide the same degree of amnesia.