Spirituality and Self Help
Hanusia
Working With Dreams
In the first article, I outlined the assumptions and background to doing dreamwork as a part of counselling and for self-improvement. In this piece, I will lay out the process of mining the richness of our dreams.
First of all, recalling them is necessary. For those who do not do so easily, there are a couple of things that can assist you. Firstly, fall asleep with the intention of recalling your dreams. This is a way of focusing the mind and establishing a desire and expectation, in much the same way as athletes focus on their goal.
Secondly, have a light, a writing pad and pen available right at your bedside, so that you don�t even have to get out of bed to record the dream. If putting on the light will disturb your bedmate, then get a little flashlight or a small lamp that �s not too bright. It is best to write the dream down before you start moving around. One theory is that even moving your body around the room or house engages different areas of the brain from those involved in dreams and so will interfere with recall. On a practical level, once we get up for the day, it is almost inevitable that we begin to fill our minds with where we have to go, what to wear, what to eat, what to take with us and so on. Those problem-solving tasks and their details distract our minds very quickly from the creative process that is dreaming.
Know that your recall will vary in detail and accuracy over time. Some dreams leave very strong impressions and others are vaporous. Waking up to an alarm clock may also interrupt your natural sleep cycle, so you may have more luck when you can sleep in. Or, if you�re really keen, go to bed a little earlier, so that you�ll be farther along into dreams by the time the alarm goes off.
Write out the dream in as much detail as you can recall. If it�s really complex, sketch out the basics and then you can fill them in as you work it through. Note locations, characters, plot, feelings and any bodily sensations. Include things that you realize in the dream, no matter whether or not it makes sense that you know it. Don�t get bogged down by the fact that your grade 3 teacher was driving the bus when you know the teacher was a male. Just write it down as accurately as possible.
Now begin with the location � describe it. What kind of place is it? What do we know about places like that? What goes on there? For instance � a school is a place of learning. It is an institution, an organization. Many people go there to learn the same thing. There are rules and expectations. What kind of feeling or impression did you have about the place in the dream? Active, full of life? Empty and hollow? Scary or welcoming?
The next question is, which of these impressions stands out in your mind? Regardless of the fact that 99% of the population may like Christmas, for instance, don�t assume that it�s a happy time. Go with your personal impression, especially if it is strong in the dream.
The crucial next step is what dream expert Gayle Delaney calls a �bridge�. What is there in your current life that has the same sort of feeling or impression? Don�t worry whether it sounds logical or not. Just go with your gut feeling. For example, if in your dream you go to the basement of your workplace and you think of basements as places where secrets and histories are kept, then what is going on in your life that has that same character to it? It may not be about work in particular.
Now proceed through the rest of the locations, characters and story line. Describe each one as if someone had never heard of it before. You want to capture the essence of it, but always focus on the particular impression that fits for you. Listen to your body. Often, when we identify the characteristic that really �hits home� there is a body sensation that underlines this for us. For some people it�s an �aha� feeling. Some get a settling in or dropping into place in the centre of their body. Others get a tingling or flash in their brain. Learn your own cues.
It is also useful to ask how this story ended, though not all plots have a clear ending. What was needed to bring the story to conclusion? Does that reflect some unfinished process in your life? What were the allies or antagonists in the story? Even if you don�t get the plot line clearly, note the feeling tone, any sensory impressions (sounds, feelings, tastes, temperature, etc.). What emotional impression did you have as you awakened from the dream? That in itself can be very instructive. Anything you can recall is grist for the mill.
Working with dreams takes time and practice. Working with a friend or a dream group or an experienced dream worker can be very rewarding. Beware of self-proclaimed experts who purport to simply tell you what your dreams mean. They are unlikely to know you and your personal symbolic language well enough to take more than generally educated guesses.
Next : social and cross-cultural common language.
