Dreams

Dream Interpretation

Dreamtime, by definition, is the time of creation in the mythology of the Australian aborigines. According to a reconstruction of their story, dreams were more than just pictures during sleep.

Before time began was the dreamtime, when the forces of creation were active through our great spirit ancestors. The spirit ancestors were not yet segregated into human or animal; they were pure consciousness. All the languages of the natural world -- the languages of trees, of rocks, of celestial bodies, of wind, fire, shadow and seed -- were listened to and understood by our spirit ancestors, who used their knowledge to shape the physical universe. They also shaped our social universe by forging the laws which govern human behavior, in accordance with their experience and modes of being.

Dreams themselves, by definition, are a series of thoughts, images or emotions occurring during sleep. They are a state of mind marked by abstraction or release from reality.

Anything can happen in a dream. There are no constraints with time, space, or content. Physical laws do not apply in the dream world.

From a psychological perspective, dreams are important because it is a time when your subconscious attempts to reveal aspects of your waking life. Sometimes we go through events that we may not completely understand and our subconscious takes over to help get beyond the confusion. This may be necessary to put issues in the past, grow as a person, and learn lessons for the future.

It is not to say that if you had a fight with your boss at work that you would directly dream about your boss and the fight. This is a possibility, however. More than likely though, a dream will occur where there may be other types of images, conversations or settings that on the surface have nothing to do with your boss or that fight. If you look deeper into the dream you may actually find the underlying reason for the fight in the first place. You just need to know how to interpret that dream!

As the Aborigines believed, dreams are not only images but can also be a great divination tool. Dreams occur in different fashions; there are several different types of dreams, ways of harnessing the energies from these dreams, and ultimately a way to control what is happening in them.

Interpreting and understanding the dream is the first step to control it. Defining what category the dream falls in (what type of dream it is) is necessary for interpretation. For example, anxiety dreams are just that. When one is worried about something to a great extent, a dream is sure to occur. That dream is directly representative of that anxiety. However, it could have a completely different meaning under a different category.

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Recurring Dreams

True recurring dreams are noted to have the same scenes or are at least nearly identical. Nightmares are similar to recurring dreams with the exception that nightmares may contain different storylines while maintaining the same theme.

Each of these dream types hold the same function, however.

Recurring dreams attempt to alert each of us to specific "signs" in our lives and continue to do so until we actually receive and understand its purpose. Once we accept what the dream is trying to convey and acknowledge its true meaning, the recurring dreams will cease. Please note that if similar life issues arise, in the future, the recurring dream may replay itself to aid in that instance as well.

Below are some examples of questions one can ask him/herself when faced with a recurring dream.

1. Are my recurring dreams manifesting from a desire in waking life? If so, am I acknowledging the desire or repressing it? Is there a way to bring it to fruition, to obtain results to my wish?

2. Are my dreams linked to emotions such as anxiety or fear? Can I uncover the emotion's source?

3. Do any symbols stick out in my mind? If so, what do I think those symbols mean?

4. Does anything in my dream resemble waking life? If so, what specifically does it seem to mirror?

5. What are my reactions and feelings when I wake up? Why might this be, and is there anything specifically in the dream that may be causing this?

These dreams may appear as frustrating because they do recur, however one must know that it is for the betterment of his/her own well-being. So please heed these statements: Pay close attention to the themes and individual symbols and see how it relates to waking life. Do not look upon the recurring dream lightly for the subconscious is only trying to strengthen the person as a whole. Furthermore, it is best not to ignore these dreams because they will only get worse.

Anxiety Dreams

Anxiety, by definition, is a state of uneasiness or tension caused by apprehension of possible future misfortune, danger, etc.; worry. Anxiety dreams are those dreams that are brought on by real life situations or feelings causing anxiety. These dreams do not ordinarily occur if a person is not overly concerned with something in real life.

Anxiety dreams may be nightmarish in nature, but are not always nightmares. These dreams are easily identified by the strong emotional energy that is always present. It is essential to find the source of the anxiety in our waking lives. Once this is done, the energies of the dream dissipate and can cease altogether.

We can ask ourselves the following questions:

1. Does my dream suggest a practical course of action that could help reduce my anxiety or allow me to cope with it in waking life?

2. Does my dream suggest any people who might help me resolve my anxiety?

3. Does my dream suggest an anxiety that is ill founded and unnecessary? Can I eradicate these fears?

4. If my anxiety dream is leading to an obvious real-life anxiety is there a way I can change my waking life to eliminate this worry?

5. What does my dream say about my personality as a whole?

Because anxiety is a natural response to real or perceived dangers we can unmask symbols in a systematic way to eliminate these anxiety-laden dreams. Answering the above questions, eliminating the anxiety dreams completely also help us learn and grow.

Astral Projection

In astral projection the conscious mind leaves the physical body and moves into the astral body. The astral body is one of seven chakras we all have.
In astral projection you remain attached to your physical body by a silver "umbilical type" cord. Some people see the cord and others do not. Some say that if this cord is severed, one could not come back to his/her physical body and death occurs. But, don't let this scare you. Just be aware of its importance.

To astral project, as with all out-of-body experiences - one must feel totally relaxed.

Many people astral project without realizing they are doing so. Have you ever had the experience where you are sleeping and you feel jolted awake - as if your body was shaken, or as if you fell abruptly? Did you have this happen and then feel jittery afterwards?

Your astral body was separated from your physical body at the time of this happening. The quick jolt is because your physical body is pulling your astral body back into itself at such a rate that you do not have time to adjust to the change. Technically, your astral body was not ready to come back and was forced back.

This is the best example because it seems to be the most memorable.

There are many books and other web sites on astral projection and how to accomplish it voluntarily. There are also rituals you can perform prior to sleeping that may help as well.

Soon I will post some easy to follow methods that may aid in your dream travels. These methods include candle "watching", chanting, meditation - all accompanied by relaxation.

There are different ways you can relax prior to attempting astral projection. Cleansing baths and creating sacred space are always helpful, but not necessary. Something you can try for now (method obtained from crystallinks):

Find a quiet place . . . free of distractions. . .

Adjust the lighting and room temperature. . .

Adjust clothing . . . footwear . . . eyeglasses.

Sit down or lie down . . .

Find a position that is comfortable for you . . .

Quiet your mind . . . Still your thoughts . . .

Relax your body. . .

Your face . . . your jaw . . . relaxing . . .

Your shoulders . . . your neck . . . relaxed

Your arms . . . your hands . . . feel at peace . . .

Your torso . . . your hips . . . letting go . . .

Your legs . . . your feet . . . totally relaxed . . .

Focus on your breathing . . .

Inhale slowly and deeply through your nose . . .

Retain the breath as long as is comfortable . . .

Exhale through the mouth slowly and completely . . .

Repeat for two more breaths . . . or as is comfortable.

Let go of the fear of leaving your physical body.

Remember you astral project when you sleep.

See yourself floating away from your physical body.

You may feel as release or perhaps hear a sound as you leave.

I find the above method to be very helpful and effective.

If you are comfortable with this process, then you are ready to astral project. If you feel uncomfortable at any time, you can stop. Please know that your physical body is ultimately in control.

Chase Dreams

Chase dreams refer to those dreams that revolve around a pursuit, driving something towards or away from something else (in most cases, you). They could also be referring to a hurried situation. These dreams are usually recurring and display forms of anxiety or fear.

A common example, not being able to run is symbolic that you will soon have to face the problem and won't be allowed to run any longer, because circumstances have come to this point.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. What is significant to you about this chase? Do you think the chase is meaningful or not?

2. Do these chase dreams link with circumstances in your waking life? If so, what?

3. What is the dominant emotion you have in your dream?

4. Are you the chaser, or are you being chased?

5. Are you alone, or are others involved?

6. What is the overall outcome of the chase?

As noted with recurring dreams, anxiety dreams and nightmares, once you take control (and you can by acknowledging the true representation of the symbols) you can rise above the problem. This is what your subconscious is trying to tell you. Handle your real life situation before it grows out of control.

Nightmares

The word "nightmare" has been derived from an Anglo-Saxon word "maere" which is used to describe an evil spirit who descends upon sleeping persons. Its intent is either sexual in nature or there to suffocate the sleeper.

More often than not nightmares are a result of a person's anxieties in waking life. These anxieties most likely went without being addressed during a time when that person was having anxiety dreams. If anxiety dreams are left go, they do result in a more severe nightmare form.

Nightmares sometimes feature a chase and pursuit scenario. Here too, if chase dreams are left go, this is how they end up.

Another form of a nightmare, definitely a more drastic and more serious form, is the night terror. Night terrors are nightmares that are accompanied by powerful physiological effects. The content is often shown as suffocating, choking or entrapment.

Nightmares occur during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep while night terrors occur during deep NON REM sleep. If you experience night terrors, you might want to seek out sleep therapists who can help aid in adjusting sleep habits.

Ways to help diminish nightmares:

1. Some nightmares are prophetic in nature. These dreams can aid in avoiding whatever scenario they are depicting.

2. If past waking life experiences are depicted, try to understand why you are dreaming about them by asking yourself if you've truly dealt with these issues.

3. Nightmares can actually help you narrow in on your current real life problems so you can deal with them.

4. Nightmares may be rooted in phobias. If this is the case, these dreams may be pushing you to tackle these phobias in waking life.

5. Specific medications could be a cause to the onset of some nightmares. Speak with a doctor if you think this is happening.

6. Dream catchers are a good item to place above your bed if you have nightmares. Native American in origin, dream catchers feature a large central net representing the world. These nets capture bad dreams before they disturb the sleeper.

Sexual Dreams

Sex dreams could mean the following:

1. Sex dreams are an emotional release. Either about your sexual feelings themselves or about other feelings you may have with something. Something that would cause you to feel "passionate" about an issue and this is the method that it is coming out in.

2. Symbolizes attraction to, giving an urge to merge with, polar opposites.

3. Can indicate a psychological completion, union (of ideas, aspects of yourself).

4. If unpleasant, can relate to repressed or unresolved sexual and spiritual problems. Some believe that sex and spirit are intertwined.

5. Sex dreams can pinpoint sexual problems in the waking life, especially if dreamed immediately after actually having sex.

6. Anxiety can cause sex dreams... in the respect of getting married. This will cause the brain to go into hyperdrive and sexually explicit dreams can be a result from the stimulation. There could be a fear of losing the other partner, not being experienced enough, loss of intimacy, loss of variety.

7. Sex dreams can reveal an underlying wish or attitude. What you think you may not do, in reality you may wish to do deep down.

8. Depends on who you are dreaming about. If it is a parent, it usually just means that you wish for that type of figure in your life. Not that you want to have sex with them, but just that they are present and important in your world. If it is a past partner, current partner or someone else of the opposite sex, it just means that you are getting in touch with that aspect of yourself. Or you are thinking about that person. You pick. If you dream of same sex partnering... then you are getting in touch with that aspect. Masculine/Feminine type of thing.

Wish Fulfillment Dreams

A wish fulfillment dream represents exactly what it says, a fulfillment of a wish. Many of us have experienced different scenarios where the end result was a "want" or "desire" to obtain a goal, material item, emotional fulfillment, etc. in real life. Wish fulfillment dreams can bring these to us.

Some do believe that the contrary exists. Some wish fulfillment dreams, upon immediate inspection, appear as if they are saying one thing when they are actually saying the opposite. It is for the dreamer to interpret.

Ask these questions to aid in understanding, also to obtain the ability to work with the dreams:

1. If the need or desire captured by the dream has been difficult in coming out in that dream, why is this so?

2. What can I do to change the wish fulfillment in the dream into actuality in real life? Can I do this alone, or will I need help from others?

3. How do I feel about sharing details of what I want with those closest around me? How would I feel if they were unsupportive?

4. How do the wish fulfillment dreams relate to actual real life wishes?

5. Is there anything about the wishes, needs or desires that indicate they should remain in the world of dreams?

6. Would fulfilling the wishes in waking life cause harm to me or anyone else?

7. Can I prioritize my wishes? This will help aid in focusing energies on what is most important.

We all have wishes, needs and desires. This is a very common type of dream to have as a result. Ask the above questions and decide what is appropriate and attainable. You may find that through time you will begin saying I know I can get this or do that, instead of wishing for it (not with everything, but with more than you do now).

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Grasping dreams would also be easier if a dream journal is kept. Dream journals are great for remembering more about a dream you just had. Most times we dream and forget about it before or as soon as we wake up. This is normal. So dream journals help increase our cognition of the dream world. Your memory of the dreams increase... you categorize what type of dream it is... you interpret the images to learn the actual meaning of the dream... and before you know it - you can control it!

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Making a Dream Pillow

Dreams are the subconscious mind's way of communicating with the conscious mind. As the subconscious mind uses svmbols instead of words to communicate, dreams are generally symbolic of something. The subconscious mind uses metaphors, sometimes in the wildest possible way, to get our attention.

If the subconscious mind feels that we cannot emotionally endure being shown troubling parts of a problem, it will often symbolically present part of the action but delete the toughest parts. When we accept the first actions we are shown in dreams, then the dream will later expand to include the rest.
Dreams can provide answers. By thinking about a certain thing you want solved just before you go to sleep, you program your subconscious mind to send up solutions.

The images and actions in dreams are tailored to each individual by her/his own subconscious mind. That is why so few dream books are any help at all. By recording your dreams, you will begin to see a pattern in the symbolic images and form your own interpretations. However, there are a few symbols which appear to be universal in interpretation. For example, mud and manure represent money or prosperity.

Making dream pillows for specific purposes is an excellent way to make your subconscious mind work with you on problem-solving, prophecy, etc. Dream pillows will also help when you are troubled by nightmares.
For hundreds of year people have used herb mixtures to effect their dreams. In the same way that certain fragrances (like baking bread or fresh roses) evoke a pleasant memory for you, herbs also evoke pleasant associations of memory. Our noses are said to be the most direct route to our minds and recollections.

Dream pillows were once called comfort pillows, and were used in the sickroom to ease the nightmares that may come with medicine and the smells of illness. Relaxing herbs -- primarily catnip, lavender, and mugwort -- combined in little pillows were respected for their usefulness in easing the sleep of crying babies.

Dream pillows work just as well on healthy folks, but maybe not for everyone. Although most people react to fragrances in pleasant ways, the people who have had the least reaction are heavy smokers, elderly people, and those who use excessive amounts of cologne or perfume; all seem to have desensitized noses. But for most people, fragrance unlocks pleasant memories that play out in their dreams in the most delightful way.
Traditionally, certain herbs and oils are used for specific purposes. The following lists of herbs and oils will help you decide which you want in your personal dream pillow. This list is by no means all inclusive but it does contain many items most kitchen witches will have on hand.

The basics of a pillow. Take two pieces of cloth or felt in the appropriate color and size that you want and sew up three sides (using appropriately colored string or floss). Mix your herbs and oils together and then (depending on the size of your pillow), add your mixture to the cotton stuffing/filler so that the herbs and scents are well mixed. Turn your pillow right side out and stuff it. Stitch the forth side closed. Ta-da - a dream pillow.

Oils

Bergamot: (not the mint kind!) soothes the nerves, gives relaxing sleep.
Hyacinth: stops nightmares.
Jasmine: helps increase psychic dreams, lifts depression, quiets the nerves; is calming.
Lavender: relaxing deep sleep.
Lilac: recalling past lives.
Mimosa: prophetic dreams; getting to the truth; making decisions.
Peppermint: sleep, psychic visions

Herbs

Angelica : prophetic dreams and visions.
Anise: use just a little to repel nightmares.
Balsam fir: relaxing, soothing
Basil: offers protection and psychic dreams
Bay: for clairvoyance and wisdom in your dreams
Bay Laurel: inspiration; repels negativity.
Camphor: awakens past live memories and prophecy in dreams
Cedar: helps to repel bad dreams.
Chamomile: for peaceful sleep
Cloves: use just a tiny amount because of the strong odor. Retrieving buried memories.
Dill: help one to fall asleep
Hops: restful sleep and healing.
Lavender: for peaceful sleep as well as clairvoyant dreams
Lemon grass: for prophetic dreams
Marigold: prophetic dreams
Marjoram: relieves depression.
Mint: adds alertness and vividness to dreams
Mugwort: visions and prophetic dreams, aids in remembering dreams
Mullein: repels bad dreams.
Rosemary: use just a little as it is very strongly scented. Avoid nightmares and headaches.
Rose: for peaceful, happy dreams as well as clairvoyance.
St. Johns Wort: banishes spirits.
Thyme: for peaceful sleep, psychic powers and attracting faeries
Valerian: deep rest
White sage: for attuning to the spirit world

Colors

Blue - for peace, calm, and wisdom
Purple - psychic power and hidden knowledge
Silver - intuition and dreams, in general

- This is an abridged version of a Bewitching Ways workshop