Using Dreams as a Pathway to Your Soul

[Angeloftheshire]

Using Dreams as a Pathway to Your Soul
         


     "Dreams show us how to find meaning in our lives, how to fulfill
our own destiny, how to realize the greater potential of life within
us." Marie-Louise von Franz

     Rich with symbols, archetypes and metaphoric meaning, dreams are
an invaluable healing instrument, and when regularly processed and
understood, can be a pathway to higher consciousness, healed relationships,
fulfilling your life's purpose and greater abundance. Dreams are
powerful vehicles in which to solve your daily issues, for they provide
ideas, solutions and insights. Literally, they are jackpots of information,
especially when you ask for answers to specific concerns. Edgar Cayce
taught, "Dreams work to solve problems of the dreamer's conscious
waking life, and they work to quicken in the dreamer new potentials which
are his/hers to claim." Such is the capacity of your nightly dreams.

     Dreams can be very helpful in your life's journey because they
broadly cover the physical, emotional and spiritual aspects of your life.
Their scope and depth is immense. For example, while counseling I have
heard dreams ranging from common, everyday "bathroom" scenes where the
dreamer is urinating (representing a releasing or cleansing taking
place), to the dreamer observing a "phoenix" soaring through the sky (the
mythical bird that transcends the fire and ashes, depicting
transformation, transmutation and spiritual rebirth).

     It's important to keep in mind that each of your dreams, however
silly or insignificant they may first appear to be, are abundant with
information. They only await your willingness to learn. Further, dreams
are meant to help you, not scare you. Being "stories of information,"
they are expressed from your higher self through your subconscious to
lovingly guide you. Countless times I've heard people exclaim, "I want to
learn from my dreams, but mine seem so weird or negative that I'm
hesitant to work with them." There was a time in my life that I felt the
same way, but through practice I've become very familiar with the
patterns my dreams follow and I am no longer afraid to look at what they're
telling me. My dreams have been such a big part of my growth that I know
with absolute conviction they appear only to help me.


LEARN THE LANGUAGE OF YOUR DREAMS

     Dreams are highly personal. What a symbol may mean to me may have
a very different meaning for you. For example, I have a black
Pomeranian dog named "Guru" whom I dearly love. Whenever Guru appears in my
dreams, I know my dream guide is revealing to me something that involves
the vulnerable, innocent and childlike aspect of me. Guru has appeared
most often when I've been working through past issues and healing my
inner child. However, dogs for you, (even a pet dog) may mean something
entirely different. If you prefer felines to canines, or have had
negative encounters with dogs, one appearing in your dream may be
uncomfortable for you or even arouse fear. It all depends on the perception you
have about a specific dream symbol. So beware of using dream books as the
key to unlocking the meaning of your dream. I remember once counseling
a woman who shared a dream in which a cluster of bugs had burrowed
their way inside her leg. As we talked through her dream we discussed how
"bugs" are also called "insects." By changing the symbol's name to
"insects" and paying attention to the feelings she was experiencing, we were
able to see that the dream was not about insects, but something very
different and much deeper-"incest." This awareness resonated to my
client, and like an intricate puzzle that had never quite come together, all
of the pieces began to fit. This woman had unconsciously been sensing
that she had been molested when she was very young but had not been
able to remember specific details. In a typical dream book, "insects" or
"bugs" represent "small annoyances and irritations." Certainly something
was "bugging" this woman, but in this case, it was anything but
"small." A long and honest discussion regarding what her dream was telling
her-coupled with several previous dreams-was necessary for her to
recognize the core issue. With her newfound understanding, she was able to
direct her energies toward healing the sexual abuse and begin the long yet
rewarding journey of recovery.

     Using your dreams as a pathway to your soul is a process. In
order to learn from them and utilize them as your own private
psychotherapist (and why not?-they can save you a lot of money!), you must be
willing to be patient and get to know them as you would a beloved child or
pet. Dream analysis is a feminine practice in that it requires quiet
time, nurturing and the willingness to delve more deeply into your soul. In
the book Season of Changes, Ways of Response, it states, "The greatest
book of study is that of your own, written by the soul upon time and
space-that of your dreams."

     Two key questions to keep in mind while working with a dream are:
       1.. What am I currently dealing with, or being affected by,
that my dream may be trying to show me? (Dreams tend to reflect your life
and its current situation. Thus the thoughts and feelings you had the
previous day is key.)


       2.. What do I need to know from my dreams so I can take the
next step in my personal and spiritual growth? (Dreams occur to help you
in every area of your life, even those areas that you have built a
defense around and do not want to see. Examples include: addiction,
self-destructive behaviors, unresolved relationship and childhood issues,
unfulfilling career, etc.
     In her book Cloud Nine, author Sandra Thompson states the
following dream themes are the most common:
         1.. Taking an Exam
         2.. Missing a plane, train, or other vehicle
         3.. Sexual Experiences
         4.. Pursuit Dreams (being pursued by someone or something)
         5.. Finding Money
         6.. Falling
         7.. Flying
         8.. Nude in Public
         9.. Teeth Falling Out/Damaged Teeth
         10.. Dream Characters Changing into Someone or

DREAM RECALL

In my work I find that many people want to understand
and utilize their dreams but have a hard time remembering them.
Willingness is the key to dream recall. Sometimes we're tempted to think that
we didn't dream, yet each of us has an average of four to five dreams
per night (depending upon what we've ingested prior to falling asleep;
alcohol, drugs and heavy eating will impair our dreams). Some steps you
can take for using your dreams as tools for healing include:
       1.. Set your intention to remember your dreams before falling
asleep.


       2.. Keep a notebook near your bed (or a tape recorder).


       3.. Ask your Higher Self for guidance in remembering and
learning from your dreams.


       4.. Allow any issues you are working on, or answers you are
seeking, to come into your awareness as you fall asleep. Form a question
and keep asking it, over and over, as you fall asleep. When asking for a
solution to a problem, keep the question simple-one at a time works
best. Assume you will receive the answer in that night's dream(s).


       5.. Immediately upon awaking, keep your attention focused on
any dreams you have had during the night, and/or on the most recent
dream. Again, assume the answer was given. Do not allow your mind to drift
forward toward the day's events! This will inhibit your ability to
remember your dreams.


       6.. Record your dreams as soon as possible, even if it's during
the night. Avoid turning on any bright lights or anything that makes
noise. Record even bits and pieces of your dream. Often, "wisps" become
catalysts for remembering the rest of it later in the day.


       7.. Focus on dream symbols and feelings while recording your
dream.


       8.. Make a commitment to remembering your dreams and learning
your own "dream language" for several months. As you do so, your dreams
will become easier to remember and understand.

     UNDERSTANDING YOUR DREAMS
         1.. Focus on feelings first, then dream symbols.


         2.. Do not judge your dreams-all dreams are significant and
have much to tell you. Not meaning to frighten you, your dreams are
lovingly channeled through your subconscious to help you learn, grow and
heal.


         3.. Dreams occur in patterns and "themes." Look for the dream
theme while recording your dream.


         4.. Notice the dream characters: ask yourself, "What aspect
of me does this person represent? (Keep in mind that most people in your
dreams are different sides of you).


         5.. Dreams of someone who has passed away means: 1) they are
trying to communicate to you through your dream state, 2) they
represent an aspect of you that has "died," 3) they are representing something
to you from your past (while they were still alive) that is in need of
healing.


         6.. Dreams that have repeating dream symbols or themes are
VERY IMPORTANT! Pay particular attention to your feelings during
repetitive dream themes and symbols.


         7.. Dreams occur in sequence during the night and "build"
upon each other. What was the dream sequence?
           
         8.. The first scene of a dream often sets the "stage" for the
entire dream. What is the first scene like? Who is in it? Where are
you? What are you doing?


         9.. The last scene of the dream shows "where" and "how" the
energy of the dream (and your life) is turning, i.e., where things are
"going." What happens in the last scene and how are you feeling?


         10.. Look for any literal interpretations of dream symbols.
Pay particular attention to your physical body in a dream as it could be
warning you of an illness. Cars typically represent our bodies.


         11.. Again, your dreams are meant to help you, not frighten
you. Any fear that surfaces is something you may be afraid to look at in
your waking life. Nightmares occur when we continue to avoid looking
at our fears or unresolved issues.


         12.. Dreams will tell you the TRUTH about a particular
situation in your life, even if you've built a defense structure against it.
If there is conflict occurring between your conscious and subconscious
mind, your subconscious will always win out.
     Because of their honesty, dreams are both powerful and healing.
They are a priceless means for connecting with our soul. Through dream
work, we are able to cultivate a deep and soulful relationship with our
true self and unite authentically with others. Sweet dreams!


SOME RECOMMENDED DREAM RESOURCES

Marc Ian Barasch, Healing
Dreams:
     Exploring the Dreams that Can Transform Your Life
     Marion Woodman, DREAMS: Language of the Soul
     Jo Jean Boushahla, Virginia Reidel-Geubtner, Dream Dictionary,
1000 Dream Symbols from A-Z
     Wilda Tanner, The Mystical Magical Marvelous World of Dreams
     Edgar Cayce, Dreams and Dreaming (documented case histories on
dreams interpreted through the altered state of consciousness)
     Carl G. Jung, Man and His Symbols and Memories, Dreams and
Reflections
     Sandra Thomson, Cloud Nine, A Dreamer's Dictionary
     Gayle Delaney, Living Your Dreams
     Mark Thurston, How to Interpret Your Dreams

[TRACEY BOTHA]

Thank you  Angeloftheshire you have answered alot of my questions about dreams. I can very seldom remember my dreams,I sometimes get the feeling I have dreamed of something important but just can`t remember.
I am going to follow your advice.

Thank you one again

God Bless You

[_Patt_]

Thanks Angeloftheshire to share with us your knowledge and wise words, it really helped me understanding better somethings and I bet it willl help other people aswell.