Thank you for describing beautifully what I have experienced since journaling my dreams and synchronicities. I have learnt so much about my hidden self, often proving to be the elephant in the room of my unconscious! Bringing the unconscious into conscious awareness where it can be acted upon, or not.
That’s a great question! I’m inclined to think all spontaneous imagery emerges from the same place (active imagination, visions, meditation). But I do think there is something to be said for the images that come unbidden in dreams, without the involvement of our conscious perspective. Aristotle would have called this the “prima materia” the first, raw material.
I once rafted the very wild Chitina river in Alaska for ten days. Part of the lesson of the river was to understand my own trajectory as fundamentally that of the river. The oars in my hands could make slight alterations of the inevitable, and slight alterations were enough once I learned not to panic. I love your metaphor of moving from the back seat to the passenger seat. But as I sit with that image, it begs the question, why not the driver's seat? To my eye, this is where many a dreamer goes wrong. Icarus craves the driver's seat. The notion of "being the architect of our own dreams" is so embedded in the American mystique as to seem like a human right. Why not the drivers seat? Because the broad river of life is inestimably larger and more powerful than we are and it knows where it's headed! Like me with my little oars, we can exert a little agency but yielding to the deep currents is non-negotiable.
I found this at 5:30 in the morning after waking from a particularly earth shaking dream to spoke to the core of my life. Thank you so much. Now I can look at what was shown, walk around it and feel my way through with love and compassion. You will never know how guided this moment was for me ✨
I particularly like this line: "While you’re inside a belief, it just looks like your reality. But a dream casts the construct outside you, gives it a face, a body, a voice. It substantiates it into a form that you can investigate, and even argue with. Suddenly the thing you’ve been standing inside of is sitting across from you, separate enough to finally see". And from a waking state, with the support of another, we can go back and explore what we weren't able to stay with within the dream!
Thank you for these reminders and the reframe! I am so inspired to get back into dreamwork, but as a baby mama interrupted sleep makes it difficult!
Although Gestalt type therapies also help reveal these metaphors and symbols that shape us and it has been so helpful during this time of interrupted sleep to keep me in touch with these aspects of psyche. Still, i do love dreamwork and you have inspired me!
Thank you! I’m very much enjoying your book about dreams. It’s so full of depth and wisdom. I’m learning so many new things. Thank you for being my teacher in all of this. ❤️ (and what a cool thing of these times that I’m able to write this to you and let you know that my heart is so, so open for your wisdom and vision.)
Thank you. Although I rarely remember my dreams, I experience all the patterns of life as symbolic. And recently I am seeing and feeling how deeply my beliefs shape my life and shape me. And rather than fighting the awesome, awful and deep solitude of this phase, I am learning to work and sometimes play, with what it brings.
Wow, you have really articulated, in a very clear and beautiful way, the interactive potential of working consciously WITH the imaginal realm - which includes dreams, synchronous encounters, meditative engagement with guides, nature spirits, etc... To participate in an open-hearted, embodied way is a blessing - not just to and for oneself, but to the imaginal realm itself, particularly in times like this, where are living with conflicting demands upon our attention and energies. To honour the symbolic language(s) of the imaginal realm is to be present to, available and energetically engaged with the power and fullness of Life itself... I just wanted to amplify the importance of what you have articulated in this wee essay. Working alchemically with symbols MATTERS, literally!
Thank you for describing beautifully what I have experienced since journaling my dreams and synchronicities. I have learnt so much about my hidden self, often proving to be the elephant in the room of my unconscious! Bringing the unconscious into conscious awareness where it can be acted upon, or not.
Yes! It's relaxing to know that we always have a choice - to act upon what we learn, or not.
Thank you. I have vivid imagery during therapy/ parts work that presents itself. Is there a difference between that and dream imagery?
That’s a great question! I’m inclined to think all spontaneous imagery emerges from the same place (active imagination, visions, meditation). But I do think there is something to be said for the images that come unbidden in dreams, without the involvement of our conscious perspective. Aristotle would have called this the “prima materia” the first, raw material.
I once rafted the very wild Chitina river in Alaska for ten days. Part of the lesson of the river was to understand my own trajectory as fundamentally that of the river. The oars in my hands could make slight alterations of the inevitable, and slight alterations were enough once I learned not to panic. I love your metaphor of moving from the back seat to the passenger seat. But as I sit with that image, it begs the question, why not the driver's seat? To my eye, this is where many a dreamer goes wrong. Icarus craves the driver's seat. The notion of "being the architect of our own dreams" is so embedded in the American mystique as to seem like a human right. Why not the drivers seat? Because the broad river of life is inestimably larger and more powerful than we are and it knows where it's headed! Like me with my little oars, we can exert a little agency but yielding to the deep currents is non-negotiable.
Thank you. My xylophone bones are vibrating 😁.
I found this at 5:30 in the morning after waking from a particularly earth shaking dream to spoke to the core of my life. Thank you so much. Now I can look at what was shown, walk around it and feel my way through with love and compassion. You will never know how guided this moment was for me ✨
Thank you for sharing this moment with me. May your dream bring you great wisdom 🐚
I particularly like this line: "While you’re inside a belief, it just looks like your reality. But a dream casts the construct outside you, gives it a face, a body, a voice. It substantiates it into a form that you can investigate, and even argue with. Suddenly the thing you’ve been standing inside of is sitting across from you, separate enough to finally see". And from a waking state, with the support of another, we can go back and explore what we weren't able to stay with within the dream!
Yes! It’s precious to have such helpers to share your dreams with.
Thank you for these reminders and the reframe! I am so inspired to get back into dreamwork, but as a baby mama interrupted sleep makes it difficult!
Although Gestalt type therapies also help reveal these metaphors and symbols that shape us and it has been so helpful during this time of interrupted sleep to keep me in touch with these aspects of psyche. Still, i do love dreamwork and you have inspired me!
Thank you! I’m very much enjoying your book about dreams. It’s so full of depth and wisdom. I’m learning so many new things. Thank you for being my teacher in all of this. ❤️ (and what a cool thing of these times that I’m able to write this to you and let you know that my heart is so, so open for your wisdom and vision.)
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the book, Anne! Thanks for being here too x
Thank you. Although I rarely remember my dreams, I experience all the patterns of life as symbolic. And recently I am seeing and feeling how deeply my beliefs shape my life and shape me. And rather than fighting the awesome, awful and deep solitude of this phase, I am learning to work and sometimes play, with what it brings.
Beautiful. This was like reading a meditation or bedtime story.
Sweet!
Wow, you have really articulated, in a very clear and beautiful way, the interactive potential of working consciously WITH the imaginal realm - which includes dreams, synchronous encounters, meditative engagement with guides, nature spirits, etc... To participate in an open-hearted, embodied way is a blessing - not just to and for oneself, but to the imaginal realm itself, particularly in times like this, where are living with conflicting demands upon our attention and energies. To honour the symbolic language(s) of the imaginal realm is to be present to, available and energetically engaged with the power and fullness of Life itself... I just wanted to amplify the importance of what you have articulated in this wee essay. Working alchemically with symbols MATTERS, literally!
I see what you did there ;)
thank you for this timely read... 🥹💞
I love when that happens!