Dreaming
Overview-
Let your animated helper orient you to this dreamy lesson. You can head back to the Projection Room for this session.
Get comfortable and read your notes. You will have one video describing dreams and another small video at the end summarizing the Deep Dives and Transformations for unit 5.
You will have an hour-long audio recording where Catherine Potter interviews Laurie about Dreamwork.
You also receive some juicy handouts about dreaming and sleeping at the end of the page.
Introduction–
A wonderful part of sleep can be dream time. Yet, busy schedules can take away from the amount of time we sleep and dream. As a dream teacher, I believe dreams help refresh us and give us much insight into our lives.
Mugwort is the one essential oil that, when sniffed, might deepen the dream state. Vitamin B is also necessary for keeping the neurons working well, promoting vivid dreams.
Here is an article about accessing and working with your dreams- for anyone interested in strengthening this critical, internal relationship.
The Eye of the Dreamer-
Relax and be open to the idea that your dreamer has valuable information for you that no one else can provide.
The eye of the dreamer is open to eternity. It is the all-knowing universal eye that exists inside each one of us. Our internal dreamer knows all. Her memory is as long as our history, and she forgets nothing. Unsurprisingly, this dreaming part of us can equip each nightly vision with the right actor for each scene we dream of. In every dream, whether we appear as a character or not, we are the star of the performance. No matter who plays us in the dream, the meaning will center around us, giving us a message about some part of our life.
The dream’s setting is also not arbitrary but instead created with scenery dug out of our life archives and is meaningful to us.
Each action reflects some deed in daily life, and each emotion provides feedback about how we feel about this life we are living.
The language of the dream is intriguing and rich but slippery, evasive, and, at times, seemingly ridiculous. It has been with us since our beginning but grows in sophistication as we do, the language of personal symbolism.
This language has intrigued and frustrated people through time- giving us occasional glimpses of clarity and much-coded obscurity. One reason for the coding could be that if the dream gave us clear messages, we would screen them out. It is not always comfortable to know our true feelings and reactions.
Nightmares are an exception to this rule. They often occur when something alarming is happening – an issue that we may not be dealing with or have no control over. Our nightmares let us know just how upsetting and immediate this danger may be. They are always a cue to pay attention!
Our society has trained us to think a certain way through the rules of our families, churches, and schools. We are rewarded for conforming and punished or ignored when we don’t. Of course, many regulations exist for good reason, but sometimes, we cut out or repress integral parts of who we are in our desire to be accepted.
Pruning off pieces of our psyche may initially help us fit in better, but over time, it causes us to lose perspective on our truth. Hiding the truth from ourselves is detrimental to living an authentic life- where we work in a job that is right for us and live and associate with people we genuinely like.
Our dreams offer us the truth. They tell us what we think and even provide solutions to our problems.
A modern dream psychologist, Dr. Gail Delaney, author of Breakthrough Dreaming, has pioneered breaking through and decoding the language of the dream, making it accessible as our oracle in daily life. Through a series of questions, the dreamer can learn to unravel this web of symbolism our inner soothsayer weaves. Helping the dream become our guide in decision-making and increasing our familiarity with the terrain of our subconscious mind.
To befriend our dreams, some steps are suggested:
Keep a pen and notebook by your bed.- Tell your dreamer you are listening and pose an issue to it: I.e. how can I improve my relationship with my friend Anne?
- Write down any information you receive when you wake up, however minor or seemingly unrelated.
- Get into the habit of recording whatever you wake up remembering. Learn to think backward from your first memory when you awaken to the dream.
Learn to connect to the feeling in the dream and try to find where in your life such a feeling may exist. What part of your daily life does the action in the dream relate to?
Read books on dreams, or try a class in dream work and find a dream partner to work with. A dedicated dream partner will offer objectivity, an asset in figuring out your dream messages and emotional patterns. But always remember it is your dream- you are the expert in knowing if the message unravelling in dream interpretation feels right. If it doesn’t look again- the answer is within you and only a sleep away.
Dream Video-(Short Overview)
Dream Interview (Audio)- with Laurie and Catherine
This inteview can be found at, You, The Universe and the Holistic Mind with Catherine Potter, on Apple Music, Podcast, to listen, just click the link, below
Dream Scents
Calming Nightmares
Essential Oils: Roman Chamomile,
Lavender,
Tangerine.
Flower Essences: Five Flower Remedy, St. John’s Wort.
Creating a Dream Space
Essential Oils:
Cedar,
Myrrh
Frankincense
Helichrysum,
Patchouli,
Nutmeg
Sleeping
Essential oils to help sleep- lavender, Roman chamomile, marjoram, lemongrass, neroli, or whatever works for you. You may diffuse these essential oils into the air, place a drop on your pillow cover or put the dried herbs and oils in a dream pillow. Instructions for making a Dream Pillow can be found in your Practical Potions Journal.
Sleep-promoting ideas–
Keep your room cool. Ensure you have good window covers so no light enters your bedroom. Please turn off all electronic gadgets and do not have them close to your bedroom. Ensure your room is as quiet as possible. Keep your room clean and clutter-free.
Have a warm, aromatic bath with one of the above essential oils before bedtime.
Use an eye pillow if you are distracted by the light. Refer to the Practical Potions Journal below to learn to make your dream pillow and eye cover pillow with herbs and essential oils to keep your inner oracle well-rested and responsive!
The Deep Dives and Transformation Video for Unit 5-
Go to your Practical Potions Downloads for more about dreams.