PRIMARY ELEMENTS OF DREAM STUDY

Introduction: Dream Study First Class

There are many different gates to dream understanding.

Edgar Cayce’s beliefs re dreams somewhat resemble that of Jung’s, “Jung and Cayce both believed that all phases of man’s nature are revealed in his dreams for the express purpose of directing him to higher, more balance accomplishments in his physical, mental, and spiritual life.” Sechrist

Cayce (like Jung) was a man, born into a particular culture, era and spiritual tradition so we have some work to do to extract the true value of what they had to offer beyond these obvious limitations. Limitations such as those imposed via a Victorian type of moralizing, Christian iconography, sexist, and hierarchal. Jung differed slightly due to his education and background (Swiss psychiatry versus American alternative healing modality) Jung’s true spiritual background however was in spiritualism: mediumship and spiritual healing.

When an individual has fallen short of his own standards or failed to be true to herself, she may suffer a recriminating dream that pulls her up short. This type of dream exposes the dark or native aspects of the self which Jung calls “the realization of the shadow”. Sechrist

Dream Recall Basics

Why can’t we remember our dreams?

1. Lack of interest.
2. Physical exhaustion or sleep disorder.
3. Impurities in the body or drug side affects.
4. Ego dystolic meaning the dream is pointing to something which is counter to your self image. You might think yourself an honest person for example but the dream is pointing to your dishonesty.
5. Waking up to an alarm which is interrupting your natual sleep cycle.
6. Moving too quickly upon awakening.

Dream Recall Aids

1. Sage Grass essential oils (other essential oils can help).
2. Melatonin..
3. Telling yourself just before you fall asleep, “I will remember my dreams.” Keep writing or recording materials by your bedside. Dreams live in the body so the less you move upon awakening the better.
4. Napping –set your alarm for 20 minutes and be ready to record your dream.
5. Meditation – Cayce, “…everyone must at some level of his spiritual progression learn to meditate, because it’s only through meditation will he eventually generate sufficient will power to free himself from his lower self”. Whereas prayer is us talking to the divine, meditation is listening to the divine.
6. Tibetan Method – Concentrate on your desire for dream recall as you lie down to go to sleep. Focus your attention on the back of your throat. Imagine a glowing blue sphere in the throat area and imagine putting your desire for dream recall within that blue orb. Hold that visualization until you fall asleep. (Interesting to note that scientific research has since shown that it is this area at the back of the throat (the stem of the brain) that controls the activation of dream states.)
7. Third Eye Technique – Put a bowl of water next to your bed. Right before sleep, dip two fingers into the water and lightly touch your throat, then rub these two fingers on your forehead in the area of your third eye. As you rub this area, affirm that you will remember your dreams.

It’s Not the Number of Dreams but the Depth of Work You Do

It’s not the number of dreams you recall, but the depth of work you do with the ones you do. If you recall one dream a year and work deeply with it, you will gain a great deal more benefit that if you recall 100 dreams a year but pay them little mind.

Special Guidance and Protection Comes to those with Good Intentions

When Cayce was asked why don’t all people receive dreams that will be equally helpful to them? He answered that good intentions backed up by action bring special guidance and protection. By good intentions, he meant high ideals and unselfish purposes. A person who tries to live in unselfish service to others will receive protection not only from the Unseen Forces through dreams and visions, but also through the development of intuition. This includes the qualities covered broadly by extrasensory perception.

More Differences Between the Sexes than Across Cultures

In a longitudinal study, 7000 students were interviewed about their dreams (across cultures) and the data revealed that there are more differences in dream content between males and females than between cultures, and there are approximately 34 recurrent themes.

Sexual dreams, varying degrees of nudity or exposure, dreams of unpreparedness such as arriving late for a train, bus or plane, falling or teetering on the edge of a precipice, flying under ones own power, fighting, fleeing, gambling, being chased by a lion or dangerous people, and finding oneself imprisoned.

Notice Energy Direction in the Dream

Watch for the direction of the energy – where is it going in the dream? Emotion – energy in motion – is it moving forward or backward – positive or negative – progressive or regressive – young to old or the other way – from laughter to grief – order to disorder – this is represented in the action.

Dreamer Creates Real World in Minute Detail

Consider This: A dreamer creates an entirely real world, in minute detail. Each dream arouses within us the conviction that we in our waking lives. This fully awake dream state has precision, it has detail, it has shapes that are likely and sometimes unlikely, yet realistic enough to make us certain as the status of our unconscious.

An recent Italian study has determined that in an 80 year life span, we spend 20 years of that dreaming! Twenty years of human existence is spent in pure creativity. We breathe, we eat and we dream.

The Moon

Be aware of the moon cycle on the night you recall a dream. Mastery of the various dream states can be acquired by understanding and aligning with moon cycles.

Each cycle of the moon is divided into four smaller cycles: new moon, waxing moon, full moon, and waning moon. Each cycle lasts 7 days.

New Moon is a time of rebirth. Rest, be still and meditate. Dreams that occur during this time reflect the deepest and most internal movements of your inner self.

As the crescent moon appears, be aware as your energy begins to expand. When the moon waxes, or more of it becomes more visible, begin to take action in alignment with the revelations you received in your dreams during the new moon.

Full Moon is the culmination of the seed planted in the new moon. Release the fullness of your creative forces!

Tonight this first night of class, the new MOON was last Friday September 18, so we are a 3rd waxed to the Full moon on October 4.

When Presenting Your Dream to Study Group

• remember to give your dream a title, and date it! This is very important
• bring enough copies for everyone in the class
• When recording your dream for presentation, write it in the PRESENT tense, for example, “I am walking in an old house and as I look out the window I see a black dog peering in at me.”
• Remember to note how you felt immediately upon awakening and how you felt throughout the dream action. There is a tendency to focus on action and characterization but fail to include how YOU (dream ego) felt throughout the experience.

When Listening to Another Present Their Dream

• Remember that even for experienced and knowledgeable analysts, when first hearing a dream everyone feels immediately discouraged by the incomprehensibility of the material the dreamer has presented. This is the rational mind having to admit it can’t figure things out- and thereby leaving space for non-rational faculties.
• Pay close attention to feelings as you listen to a dream. It’s common for the dreamworker to absorb, and feel the repressed emotions of the dreamer – it’s like a symbiosis. But the complication here is:

1. Is this your emotional response to a dream atmosphere?
2. Is this just the way you have been feeling over something that happened today in your life?
3. Is this a feeling you have towards the person expressing the dream?

There will be exercises given in preparation for the next class.

Organize a Dream Binder

(water element) Your dreams in one section along with any notes about the day before or following the dream.

(earth) Class notes in another.

(fire) Any insights you have while I’m talking or you are working with another’s dream.

(air element) Your own dream symbol dictionary in another. As you enter new symbols in your dictionary and write out your interpretations of that symbol you are opening a communication channel between your unconscious and conscious minds. You will see that symbol changing over time as you carry it through the light of consciousness.

Project

A project to be presented to the last class. This will involve making a dream character, activity, setting, action manifest. Collage, three dimensional, painting, whatever materials feels right for you.

Confidentiality is critical because dreams are personal and sacred. We’ll be wandering into territory the dreamer may not have as yet fully integrated.

Dreamwork creates intimacy to the point of symbiosis. Sometimes in such a close relationship-engendering a great deal of unconscious activity, as dreamwork inevitably does-communication does not seem to be mediated by the senses. It appears to be a direct, immediate experience of another’s state of mind. Bosnak calls this symbiotic communication.