Preparation for Dream Time

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Dreams are stories made by and for the dreamer,

and each dreamer has his own folds to open

and knots to untie."

 

Siri Hustvedt

THE SHAKING WOMAN
THE HISTORY OF MY NERVES

 

 

 

Dreams contain an amazing language with symbols unique to each dreamer.  Understanding dreams is like most anything else.  They take time, some discipline and understanding.  Per several requests, I will share a process to further any interest readers may have.

 

Truth be told, I have a plethora of dream books.  If I were to recommend just one, it most definitely would be Wilda B. Tanner's The Mystical Magical Marvelous World of Dreams.  This is my "go to book" as it contains a wonderful cross section of information.  Not only is a dictionary, but more importantly, it teaches the reader how to understand people, places, and things.  In a very "user friendly" way, she discusses the importance of paying attention to the background of a dream.  She will explain the importance of noticing where the dreamer is in the dream and other information normally overlooked.

 

To those who do not believe they dream at all, let me refer to scientific data stating we all dream usually three to five dreams per night, especially during REM which is our deepest time of sleep. Within five minutes of waking, a person has already forgotten half of the dream and within ten minutes, 90% has been forgotten.

 

 This is how we can train ourselves. The night before, swiftly run through your day mentally. Recall every incident no matter how trivial or annoying. This gets the clutter out of your mind so your dream can contain things of greater importance. If you have an agenda for the next day, jot down a list of things you need to do tomorrow. This again takes away "busy-ness"from the brain. The last thing to do is say a mantra such as, "I will remember my dream."Once you get this into place, you will be able to choose topics for exploring. It all takes time and discipline.

 

Let me share some tips:  keep a tape recorder by the bed and even before opening your eyes, speak into the recorder.  Many times, as we report, more information comes back to us.  Another approach is to leave a tablet or journal by the alarm  clock so it will instantly remind you to write down as much as you can remember.  My personal favorite is to wear something on my finger or wrist that is uncomfortable.  In the morning, when the awareness of my discomfort occurs prior to fully awakening, I immediately start recalling my dream.  Once trained, this is not necessary.

 

While recording a dream, go as fluidly as you can.  Jot down everything that surfaces no matter how trivial something may seem.  In the days, weeks, and years to come, the one small part purposely deleted may have been the key to unlocking the dream. 

 

In writing down three individual dreams, the content may appear to be on completely different topics;  however, when viewed at a later date, one can clearly see that all three dreams were trying to make a point using totally different scenarios.

 

"Why bother," one may ask.  I could joyfully use a year of posts to cover this very subject.  Dreams have been regarded as important since 5000 ~ 4000 BC.  Many cultures revere the content of dreams.  Romans, for example, turned unusual dreams into the senate for interpretation.  Native Americans had individuals regarded as the dream keepers.  They would listen to the dreams, sifting through the content.  Some tribes also had all of the children upon awakening meet with a designated dreamer who would teach the children how to understand and learn from the dream time.

 

We are no different.  Yes, some dreams may seem silly or preposterous, but there is always a message or reflection.  It make take a few days or a few more dreams to understand what we are trying to tell ourselves, but in time, if we remain open, the message comes.

 

Keep your questions coming:  decipheringdreams@yahoo.com