Dreams of The Deaf

So back to the questions mentioned in the earlier blog. Do deaf people hear in their dreams? Do blind people see in theirs?

Before we sprint toward the answers, let take a deeper look at the questions.

If you are reading this as a hearing person, think for a moment how many of “us” are out there. So many hearing people across the globe. Do we know that we are alike in the way that we hear sounds?  Are there reasons why some find certain sounds pleasant while others cringe? Is it a matter of taste or a difference in what we’re hearing?

We already know that we are not identical in the way we view our surroundings. Does John’s ‘red’ look exactly like Sue’s ‘red’?  20/40 vision, lasik corrections, color-blindness, astigmatism…….so many factors can affect perception without being deemed a visual impairment.

And theses are only two of our senses!  Touch, smell , taste…….how varied are our perceptions?  How can we possibly know?  Well it does appear that , in an effort to answer these questions, more questions rise to the surface.  How much can we generalize?

These particular points become relevant as we observe a general tendency to generalize.  So much is written about The Deaf or The Blind….as if each group has the identical experience based on their common condition. This is what we call a “slippery slope”. There must be room for individuality within a culture….right?

So, what’s the answer to our original question?  Do deaf people hear in their dreams?

One more question first. Do hearing people ‘hear’ in their dreams?   Do you?

At this point, individual feedback from members of the deaf community would be interesting. As a SODA (Sibling of Deaf Adult), I have asked my sister endless questions like this.  As a young adult, she explained that she remembers signing in her dreams, but she also remembers communicating without sign language.  If you really think about it, communication in dreams is akin to mental telepathy for the hearing among us as well. Lips don’t necessarily move and sound isn’t required for communication to take place.

In 1960, twenty-six deaf college students were interviewed to obtain information concerning the symbolic and perceptual processes experienced in their dreams. It was found that the dreams of the congenitally deaf were vivid, brilliantly colored, and reported as frequent in occurrence. Usually, the means of communication in the dream included sign language / non-verbal communication process.

Hellen Keller, who became deaf and blind at the age of 19 months, claimed to have “visions of ineffable beauty” in her dreams.

Dreams allow visions without sight, communication without sound, flight without wings and desserts without calories! Dreams may be the place where universal common ground is finally found.

Confession:

The intended message of this post is hidden between the lines. When absolute statements are made about the experiences or the beliefs of  The Deaf or The Blind, a thoughtful perspective allowing for individuality and potential personal preferences is refreshingly enlightened. The first step is always awareness.

Additional information on this topic is available by request from The Sign Language Company.