ISSN: 1913-1917
IN THIS ISSUE: March 2008 Issue
Feature Article:
-- A Word About Words
Cross Cultural Dreaming:
-- A Buddhist Perspective on Lucid Dreaming
Famous Dreams:
-- Famous Writer's Dreams
Readers Dream & Analysis:
--A Writer's Dream
Symbol of The Month:
--Writing and Chicken
Reader Comments:
--
From The Editor:
--Stay tuned for an exciting issue next month
Submission Instructions:
--See bottom of newsletter
============================
IN THIS ISSUE: March 2008 Issue
Feature Article:
-- A Word About Words
Cross Cultural Dreaming:
-- A Buddhist Perspective on Lucid Dreaming
Famous Dreams:
-- Famous Writer's Dreams
Readers Dream & Analysis:
--A Writer's Dream
Symbol of The Month:
--Writing and Chicken
Reader Comments:
--
From The Editor:
--Stay tuned for an exciting issue next month
Submission Instructions:
--See bottom of newsletter
============================
Dreams are illustrations...from the book your soul is writing about you.--Marsha Norman
============================
Feature Article:
A Word About Words
A thought is never objectified until it's put into words. Words are physical symbols representing our thoughts.
In the physical world the words we use represent our power, or at least the power that we know we have at the moment. Some words are more powerful than others. For instance, "I know" are the second two most powerful words you can use. "I think," "I hope," or "I believe," are very weak. They lack authority.
In his article "More than Words" Roy Klienwachter recites an example from his youth about the power of words:
When I was 15 and had landed my first job, my boss taught me to use the word "we" when I talked to customers. I was knowledgeable enough at what I was doing at that age, and had enough experience to represent the company while selling products. His reasoning for using the word "we" was to let the customer know that there was more than myself --there was someone behind me to back me up.
"We" became a big part of my vocabulary and I used it almost exclusively when referring to myself. There was some comfort in the word, but I didn't realize until just a few years ago what kind of damage it was doing to my self-esteem.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of these types of words --words that strip us of our power and disenfranchise us everyday in our relationships with others. And sadly, we're so accustomed to using them, we never give them a second thought. However, they're very clear symbols to others of how we're thinking. Words don't lie, people do; and the words that we choose to use tell volumes about how and what we're thinking.
Words are the second step in manifesting thought into physical reality. The steps are; thought, word (s) and deed (s). First comes the thought, then the command (the word/s), and finally the action. Thought is ALWAYS made manifest at some level of reality, so watch your thoughts --and your words.
If you want to change your circumstances you simply need to change the words you use. You may be saying to yourself; hey you just said words are the second phase of manifesting reality. True, but words are the result of thought. We think something before we speak or write it. So, by changing what you say or write, you're changing the way you think.
Here's a little exercise (no this isn't really work) to check on your thoughts (or others'). For half an hour to an hour a day for a couple of days, try to listen to your thoughts and your words. What are you saying? What are you not saying? Do you say what you think? Do words just spill out of your mouth without any volition on your part? Make some notes. It's difficult to change what you think and say if you don 't know what you're thinking or saying don't you think?
This is an eye-opening experience when applied to someone else. Keep tabs on what they say and how they say it. Sigmund Freud argued that slips of the tongue revealed our true thoughts and feelings. I would go so far as to say that our language and word usage also reveals more about us than we would care to acknowledge.
Language is so important and conveys so many meanings, spoken or implied, that a poorly chosen word can bring you crashing down or raise you to the top. Wars have been fought over a few poorly chosen words.
Another negative word that I, and many of us, use far too often is "never." "I've never done that," I never said that," Well I never!" etc. Try to remove this word from your vocabulary. Be warned, it's not easy. I still haven't removed it entirely.
One very negative word I am very aware of and that I've tried to remove completely from my thoughts (and language of course) is the word "hate." I first became aware of how often we use this word when my three year old granddaughter said she hated something (I can't remember what now). I was actually stunned into silence. To hear the word "hate" coming out of the mouth of an innocent child really makes you think. We all know that children mimic adults. We were always so careful not to curse or use derogatory terms, etc. But I had never thought about the impact of other negative words, such as "hate."
By repeatedly speaking (and thinking) the word "hate" what do you imagine the outcome will be? I can't see anything positive coming out of it. I've seen the results of the effects of this word: Racism, sexism, war. And on a smaller, more personal level; anger, arguments, discontent, envy, jealousy. You get the idea.
If you're seeking a new life or a new way to get along with others, consider using different words, phrases and terminology. If you want to succeed at some specific endeavor choose "I can" rather than "I might" or even worse, "I'll try." Tell yourself that YOU CAN accomplish your goal, and tell yourself this often. Use the word "Know." "Know is absolute. If you KNOW something there are no other possibilities. So tell yourself "You Know you can do it." You may take some convincing at first. Most of us are fearful of new things, so trick yourself into believing you know you can do it. Keep repeating your assertion and gradually you'll KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, without any doubts at all. And what you desire will manifest. Period.
Continuing on...
A great way to find out how you think, and how you speak is to monitor your dreams. We speak and think in our dream life pretty much the same way we think and speak in our waking life.
When analyzing (or even scanning through) your dream, pay attention to how many negative words are in it. Words such as "can't don't, not, hate, never, no, useless, unfit, etc." You get the idea. If you find quite a few of these types of words, you may want to think about changing your thought patterns.
Now it's a fact that more dreams are generally classified as negative than positive. But this statistic refers more to the dreams actual content (images and actions) rather than the dreams verbal component. Why we have more negative than positive dreams is a subject for another article :-)
As you focus on changing your words and thoughts, your progress will be reflected in your dreams. So, in essence, your dreams will show you how close you are (or how far) to manifesting the life or circumstance you desire.
This is yet another reason for keeping a dream journal. If you don't know much about dream journals and journaling, you can read the article: http://www.thedreamladyonline.com/journaling.htm
Dream Well,
Terry
============================
Cross-Cultural Dreaming:
In the physical world the words we use represent our power, or at least the power that we know we have at the moment. Some words are more powerful than others. For instance, "I know" are the second two most powerful words you can use. "I think," "I hope," or "I believe," are very weak. They lack authority.
In his article "More than Words" Roy Klienwachter recites an example from his youth about the power of words:
When I was 15 and had landed my first job, my boss taught me to use the word "we" when I talked to customers. I was knowledgeable enough at what I was doing at that age, and had enough experience to represent the company while selling products. His reasoning for using the word "we" was to let the customer know that there was more than myself --there was someone behind me to back me up.
"We" became a big part of my vocabulary and I used it almost exclusively when referring to myself. There was some comfort in the word, but I didn't realize until just a few years ago what kind of damage it was doing to my self-esteem.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of these types of words --words that strip us of our power and disenfranchise us everyday in our relationships with others. And sadly, we're so accustomed to using them, we never give them a second thought. However, they're very clear symbols to others of how we're thinking. Words don't lie, people do; and the words that we choose to use tell volumes about how and what we're thinking.
Words are the second step in manifesting thought into physical reality. The steps are; thought, word (s) and deed (s). First comes the thought, then the command (the word/s), and finally the action. Thought is ALWAYS made manifest at some level of reality, so watch your thoughts --and your words.
If you want to change your circumstances you simply need to change the words you use. You may be saying to yourself; hey you just said words are the second phase of manifesting reality. True, but words are the result of thought. We think something before we speak or write it. So, by changing what you say or write, you're changing the way you think.
Here's a little exercise (no this isn't really work) to check on your thoughts (or others'). For half an hour to an hour a day for a couple of days, try to listen to your thoughts and your words. What are you saying? What are you not saying? Do you say what you think? Do words just spill out of your mouth without any volition on your part? Make some notes. It's difficult to change what you think and say if you don 't know what you're thinking or saying don't you think?
This is an eye-opening experience when applied to someone else. Keep tabs on what they say and how they say it. Sigmund Freud argued that slips of the tongue revealed our true thoughts and feelings. I would go so far as to say that our language and word usage also reveals more about us than we would care to acknowledge.
Language is so important and conveys so many meanings, spoken or implied, that a poorly chosen word can bring you crashing down or raise you to the top. Wars have been fought over a few poorly chosen words.
Another negative word that I, and many of us, use far too often is "never." "I've never done that," I never said that," Well I never!" etc. Try to remove this word from your vocabulary. Be warned, it's not easy. I still haven't removed it entirely.
One very negative word I am very aware of and that I've tried to remove completely from my thoughts (and language of course) is the word "hate." I first became aware of how often we use this word when my three year old granddaughter said she hated something (I can't remember what now). I was actually stunned into silence. To hear the word "hate" coming out of the mouth of an innocent child really makes you think. We all know that children mimic adults. We were always so careful not to curse or use derogatory terms, etc. But I had never thought about the impact of other negative words, such as "hate."
By repeatedly speaking (and thinking) the word "hate" what do you imagine the outcome will be? I can't see anything positive coming out of it. I've seen the results of the effects of this word: Racism, sexism, war. And on a smaller, more personal level; anger, arguments, discontent, envy, jealousy. You get the idea.
If you're seeking a new life or a new way to get along with others, consider using different words, phrases and terminology. If you want to succeed at some specific endeavor choose "I can" rather than "I might" or even worse, "I'll try." Tell yourself that YOU CAN accomplish your goal, and tell yourself this often. Use the word "Know." "Know is absolute. If you KNOW something there are no other possibilities. So tell yourself "You Know you can do it." You may take some convincing at first. Most of us are fearful of new things, so trick yourself into believing you know you can do it. Keep repeating your assertion and gradually you'll KNOW YOU CAN DO IT, without any doubts at all. And what you desire will manifest. Period.
Continuing on...
A great way to find out how you think, and how you speak is to monitor your dreams. We speak and think in our dream life pretty much the same way we think and speak in our waking life.
When analyzing (or even scanning through) your dream, pay attention to how many negative words are in it. Words such as "can't don't, not, hate, never, no, useless, unfit, etc." You get the idea. If you find quite a few of these types of words, you may want to think about changing your thought patterns.
Now it's a fact that more dreams are generally classified as negative than positive. But this statistic refers more to the dreams actual content (images and actions) rather than the dreams verbal component. Why we have more negative than positive dreams is a subject for another article :-)
As you focus on changing your words and thoughts, your progress will be reflected in your dreams. So, in essence, your dreams will show you how close you are (or how far) to manifesting the life or circumstance you desire.
This is yet another reason for keeping a dream journal. If you don't know much about dream journals and journaling, you can read the article: http://www.thedreamladyonline.com/journaling.htm
Dream Well,
Terry
============================
Cross-Cultural Dreaming:
A Buddhist Perspective On Lucid Dreaming
Within the Buddhist tantric tradition there is great emphasis on using the dream state of being for developmental ends. There exist a special practice called Dream Yoga, which in the West has been presented in one of the "Six Doctrines of Naropa". The Dream Yoga is a high meditation practice which is performed by the adept within the so called lucid dream state.
However, working directly and consciously in the lucid dream state is not accessible to everyone since the dream yoga methods are very difficult though direct methods for development. There are 2 different levels of purpose to lucid dreaming:
1) a surface level of psychological observance, and;
2) a more subtle level of spiritual observance.
The psychological observance level is the level concerned mainly with changing our general psychological structures with the purpose of decreasing our everyday problems in relation to ourselves and others. In contrast, the spiritual observance level is the level mainly concerned with changing our existential existence with the purpose of decreasing the distance between, and thus unite, our rational and non-rational abilities, or our feminine and masculine energies or our body and mind, or substance and consciousness. By healing the gaps and finally uniting subject and object we break the dualistic determination and entrapment of our existence. This is done by entering into the nature of existence, the essential nature of the universe.
It should be noted that the distinguishing of these two levels is provisional. The two levels follow each other sequentially. One must solve one's major problems on a psychological level before being able to successfully enter the more subtle spiritual level where changing one's existential structures in relation to reality occurs.
One of the main concerns on a psychological level is to obtain a balance between our ordinary coarse, rational contact with and/or interpretation of reality and a non-rational relation with reality. This balance can be obtained, and has traditionally within Buddhism been obtained, from two alternately used angles:
1) one can use methods to awaken and train the non-rational contact, whereby the coarse rational contact naturally will be softened, and become less rigid and projective and thus more open and clear,
2) or, one can use methods to directly reduce the coarse, rationally created reality. In the second you touch upon and are able to perceive and appreciate a more direct and non-manipulated relationship with reality, a step which in itself will further a non-rational contact with reality.
During the process of establishing a balance between our ordinary, coarse rational perception and the non-rational contact with reality, our psychological problems change as they are part and parcel of the coarse rational creations. In dealing with dreams, in the dream state in particular, we initially train the non-rational way of contacting reality, using our dream body/mind abilities. From this basis we deal with the dream object -- and later again with the dream subject -- in different ways, slowly breaking the coarse rational beliefs as well as many other layers of our dualistic way of existence.
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There are 5 different levels (or moments) of perception. However, due to space constraints we won't cover them all here. I'll skip to the third level of perception as it is most relevant to dreaming.
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The third moment of perception can roughly be described as the "taking in" of the sense-impressions by consciousness (which belong to the sixth sense consciousness, the aggregate pertaining to notion/conceptualization). In the ordinary waking state the sense-impressions are not just "taken in" but, especially within our modern, Western, highly materialistic cultures, the sense-impressions are almost simultaneously "taken over" by a consciousness dominated by a coarse-rational approach. This leaves the person with very little, if any, conscious awareness of the pure sense-impressions.
The rational/physical consciousness refers to the consciousness which establishes that the perceived object is in accordance with the stored image, and with the name/connotations of similar, already perceived, objects.
All this is created within a certain complex cultural/individual view of reality.
The image we create of an object has first been singled out from it's natural interconnectedness with the whole and given a name. This image, when it is first created, will most often come between oneself and future similar objects' "perceived". Therefore, instead of actually perceiving the object, in the ordinary waking state, we mainly perceive our already created image of a similar object, and seldom meet the object more intimately than that. In other words, we project our past perceptions and associations to a similar object onto the new one and automatically see it (the new object) as the same as the old one.
The naming/language part in itself is most useful. However, in the rational approach the name/language has a tendency to take over reality. For example, we give language itself more meaning than reality-- ontologically we exchange reality with the MAP of reality. Due to the prejudiced creation of the rational way of contacting reality, which we automatically and more or less subconsciously superimpose on the actual sense perception of the object in focus, we create our own reality, which in general is alienated from and most often not incomparable to reality as such.
Following the "taken in/taking over" of the sense-impressions by consciousness, feelings based on the coarse rational interpretation, arise to a more coarse level of pleasant/unpleasant feeling evaluation.
Pleasant feelings arise when the object in focus seems to nourish and/or protect our image of ourselves, and unpleasant feelings arise when the image of ourselves is endangered. The rational contact provides the direction for the feeling/evaluation of oneself and the feeling/evaluation increases one's belief in the rational perception/cognition. In general, the feeling/evaluation has the last word in reality proofs and in decisions.
When the feeling/evaluation of oneself in relation to the object thus arises, it enhances the further building of a coarse-rational interpretation of the object/reality. For instance, if one first evaluates the object as good/supportive of oneself, one naturally approaches it and contacts more or less solely it's "good" sides. If, however, one first evaluates the object as negative, confronting, or undermining for oneself, one's interpretation and contact is skewed toward it's negative aspects. How trivial this description may sound, but it has a great impact on our perception/cognition of reality.
Why the Dream State Is Particularly Useful for Psychological As Well As Spiritual Observances
The dream state is useful for psychological as well as spiritual observances because of the different manner of functioning, it's different nature. In psychologically changing ourselves, it is stronger and more effective to work with our difficulties from a deeper level of being. This bypasses the coarse, rational domination and also bypasses the limited contact with reality we ordinarily have, due to our bondage within the rough physical body.
If we want to progress in a spiritual direction, to change ourselves existentially, to change the relationship between subject and object towards their unity, then we must transgress both the coarse, rational domination and the limitations and bondage of the physical body.
As has already been demonstrated, our ordinary perception/cognition has a limited relationship to object reality. This is manifest in different ways. First of all, the perceptive/cognitive process of our ordinary waking state is strongly dispersed. The actual perception through the five distinct senses, though they can have direct contact with the five object qualities correlating with the senses, have no unity in themselves and no intellectual abilities. Further, the coarse, rational consciousness, belonging to the sixth sense consciousness, has no direct perceptive tools by itself, but has to rely on the sense impressions of the five physical senses and the five sense consciousnesses. This has a strong tendency to create it's own individual reality, which might differ radically from the ordinary "surface reality" as such. Secondly, the perception/cognition is bound within the physical body and limited accordingly, i.e. it is space and time limited.
In the dream state, as well as in the deep meditation state, perception and cognition are united. The sense-impressions are not functionally distinct. They are not dependant on the physical sense organs, but operate directly from within the sixth sense consciousness, i.e. the fifth sense consciousnesses and the sixth sense consciousness operate naturally in union in the dream/meditation states of being - implying a natural basis for uniting body/mind and subject/object. This doesn't mean that the dream state and the deep meditation state are purely mental states. In general, within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, body and consciousness always need to work together. A body doesn't work without a consciousness, and a consciousness doesn't work without a body.
In the dream state and deep meditation state, we also have/are a body. However, the dreambody and the body in the deep meditation state, often named the subtle body, are not of physical nature, but are energy bodies, and have therefore the ability to go beyond the limitations and bondage of the physical body, and beyond the space and time fixations.
In the dream state and deep meditation state, we still have/are a body. However, the dreambody and the body in the deep meditation state, often named the subtle body, are not of physical nature, but are energy bodies, and have therefore the ability to go beyond the limitations and bondage of the physical body, and beyond the space and time restrictions.
An energy body can be characterized as the basic energy of our physical body, which is in close connection with the basic mental energy of the rnam-shes. In the ordinary waking state we naturally also have/are an energy body, but we are normally not aware of it. In general, we only use our rough physical body with our coarse rational consciousness. In such a state our physical and mental aspects of being are strongly separated.
However, in the dream state we have already parted from the rough physical body and we naturally have an energy body (the dream body). Because this state is much more closely connected with our ordinary state and our life situation in general, the Tantrics often use the dream state to develop and the subtle body.
Though our more subtle abilities are naturally awakened in the dream state, we are ordinarily, in this state, still dominated by our normal, rational and dualistic views and beliefs of separation between body and consciousness. So in order to be aware of and be able to use the abilities of the dream state, we need to train our dream body and dream consciousness. The training to which we'll now turn.
How To Deal With Dreams Within the Dream State and Within the Imaginary State of Being -- Methods Based on the Traditional Dream Yoga Practice
Stage One
The first stage is "holding the dream." This stage involves training to both remember dreams and to consciously enter into the dream state; That is, to train yourself to have lucid dreams, to know the dream is a dream while dreaming.
For psychological reasons it's very important to remember your dreams. In the waking state we reject the repressed conflicts and fears, which we find difficult to deal with. However, these conflicts and fears, leave imprints, baggage, in our basic psycho/physical energy of the rnam-shes, and reappears in the manifest dream in order to be lived through in this level of being. Some dreamworkers believe that to live through psychological difficulties is the natural psychological function of the dream.
However, when the dream state is at rest and the will power created, the adept should move into the active energy in order to:
1) create a clear dream (a dream which is clearly remembered in details afterwards, leaving a strong impression on the adept) or in order to:
2) consciously be aware in the dream state, knowing the dream is a dream, i.e. having a lucid dream. But if the adept gets too much into active energy, he/she will wake up. He/she therefore needs to hold a fine balance between the non-active and the active energy in order to stay in the lucid dream, neither waking up nor falling back into the ordinary dream flow.
Stage Two
The second stage is "mastering the dream." In this stage, knowing the dream is a dream while dreaming, the adept develops his/her own power of using his/her dream body with volition. This enables him/her to deal actively with the dream object in a way, which is similar to the way we deal with it while awake.
The first step of obtaining the power of mastering his/her dream body, is to consciously be the dreambody, as ordinarily we are being our physical bodies. Being the dreambody still requires the adept to train how to use it. He/she needs to get all the senses to work properly and to be able to move the dreambody at will.
Next the adept trains the use of his/her willpower through the dream body in order to further investigate that which captures his/her interest. When this step is mastered he/she has the ability to acknowledge disturbing psychological structures emerging in the dream, and further he/she has the ability to work directly in the dream state with them.
In this context, I will mention some methods the adept can use to work directly with fear when confronted with negative aspects in the dream scene (the dream object), and discuss how/why these methods work.
The adept is advised never to flee the negativity, but to either fight it, or better still, to let the negativity destroy him/herself. In other words, unite with the negativity. In order to understand how these methods work, we must understand the dynamic between the negativity and the subject being confronted by it. Here we have to reach back to the basic psychology presented earlier under the third skandha, where we found that pleasant feelings arise in contact with the object, when the object seems to nourish and/or protect our image of ourselves, and unpleasant feelings arise, when our image of ourselves is endangered. Thus, within my interpretation and experience the negativity frightening the adept in the dream is a picture/representation of the adept's fear of having his/her self-image destroyed.
If the adept flees the negativity he/she misses the opportunity to work with his/her self-image and with the fear of having it destroyed. Instead, through this action he/she manifests his/her self-image even further. Secondly, if the adept fights that which will destroy his/her self-image, he/she creates a feeling of being protected in him/herself, and he/she will therefore feel stronger both in the dream, and also, it seems, in the waking state. Thirdly, the adept can let the negativity destroy him/herself in the dream, i.e. he/she can unite with the negativity. When the negativity destroys the dream subject, it destroys that which the adept identifies with and therefore wants/needs to protect, his/her self-image.
However, when this is destroyed the adept goes beyond this image of him/herself and reaches a more authentic layer of his/her being. No longer identifying with the image, there is nothing to maintain the game of fear and negativity, which is why there's no longer any fear or negativity. The adept has united him/herself with his/her fear and negativity. Through this act, it seems that, he/she has solved the underlying psychological problems.
Having obtained the ability of "mastering the dream" it is possible for the adept to do many different, and possibly unusual, things within the dream. If, for instance, the adept wants to understand certain things, it could be within the sciences or within philosophy, psychology, the arts, he/she can – through various methods -- contact or tune into "energy-lines" of the knowledge he/she wants to acquire. The dream state gives special possibilities to do so, due to it's special nature of a stronger unity between body/mind and subject/object.
Stage Three
The third stage is "changing the dream." Above I mentioned that the core point in dream yoga is to break or go beyond our dualistic existence. In this stage the adept is supposed to start directly breaking some of his/her strongest beliefs: the belief of solidness and absoluteness of the object, the belief of our separateness from the object, and the belief of time linearity and space fixation. Thus, in order to change the dream object the adept has to train him/herself to master the will power of his/her dream body/mind, to contact his/her basic structuring energy, through which he/she can contact the dream object of the same energy level. On this very subtle structuring level of being there is a correspondence between the energy of the subject and the object, through which the direct contact is possible. Through this direct energy contact the adept can change the object, and/or can create objects at will.
In order to train to go into this subtle structuring level of being, the adept is traditionally instructed to use different deity-meditations in the dream state. However, the use of these specific meditations aren't required. When the adept can tune into this subtle structuring energy of the subject and the object, and use it for changing the object, he/she is breaking the ordinary natural laws of separateness. After obtaining this ability the adept is able by his/her will power and unifying abilities to transgress ordinary space and time limitations.
When the adept is working with the dream object, he/she has to work from his/her more rational/active chakra energy side, still keeping a balance in order not to awake from the dream state. But approaching the training of the unity abilities of subject/object the adept is advised to work more through the non-rational, non-active, feminine energy side.
As I have mentioned before, different levels of imprints, baggage, of more or less problematic observances, give rise to the main part of the dream. Having sufficiently mastered the dream, the adept naturally and spontaneously seems to know which method to use in successfully dealing with the dream appearances, and through these with the underlying baggage. These need to come out, that is to be lived or worked through. After having mastered the methods of changing the dream appearances, the adept can now change the unwanted, unpleasant dream situation or his/her dream being. This act seems to have a direct healing impact on the underlying psychological difficulties associated with his/her waking life.
Stage Four
The fourth and last stage of the dream yoga is to "merge with the unity of the subtle body/mind." Here the adept is no longer working with the dream object/appearances. He/she now works directly through the unity of the subtle feminine and masculine energies of his/her dream subject, going beyond the dream appearances. From this state of being, the adept works directly with his/her relationship to the waking state reality, also breaking the ordinary natural laws of the reality of the waking state.
However, as mentioned in the beginning, it is not so easy to traverse the step of knowing the dream is a dream, to be able to create lucid dreams at will, or to go consciously into the dream state of being.
Dream Reliving
Instead of working directly in the dream state, Some dreamworkers have found it useful for the dreamer to work with the same methods in the imaginary-dream state of being. The imaginary-dream state is a deeply relaxed state from which the dreamer enters a recalled dream, with which he/she wishes to work. It is much more effective to work with the dream from the dream state than it is to work with the recalled dream from the imaginary dream-state. The dream state is more subtle than the imaginary-dream state. The imaginary-dream state is more easily influenced by the view of the coarse, rational consciousness. However, psychologically speaking, if the dreamer is able to enter the imaginary state and not be disturbed or influenced by the rational view then it seems fruitful for him/her to apply the dream yoga methods in the imaginary dream state.
For advancement on the spiritual levels, i.e., existentially changing the dualistic way of existence, breaking the natural laws, it is, of course, difficult to work from the imaginary dream level due to the possible interference of the ordinary coarse rational dualistic view. However, some progress takes place when the methods are properly used.
In general, it should be clear, that any practice towards awakening and developing the subtle energies of body/mind, whether through the imaginary dream state, training the imaginary dream state, training the chakra energies etc., has a great impact on the abilities of the dreamer in creating clear dreams, and in furthering his/her dream power, which is necessary for creating lucid dreams at will, and for working directly with the dream appearances in the dream.
============================
Famous Dreams:
2) a more subtle level of spiritual observance.
The psychological observance level is the level concerned mainly with changing our general psychological structures with the purpose of decreasing our everyday problems in relation to ourselves and others. In contrast, the spiritual observance level is the level mainly concerned with changing our existential existence with the purpose of decreasing the distance between, and thus unite, our rational and non-rational abilities, or our feminine and masculine energies or our body and mind, or substance and consciousness. By healing the gaps and finally uniting subject and object we break the dualistic determination and entrapment of our existence. This is done by entering into the nature of existence, the essential nature of the universe.
It should be noted that the distinguishing of these two levels is provisional. The two levels follow each other sequentially. One must solve one's major problems on a psychological level before being able to successfully enter the more subtle spiritual level where changing one's existential structures in relation to reality occurs.
One of the main concerns on a psychological level is to obtain a balance between our ordinary coarse, rational contact with and/or interpretation of reality and a non-rational relation with reality. This balance can be obtained, and has traditionally within Buddhism been obtained, from two alternately used angles:
1) one can use methods to awaken and train the non-rational contact, whereby the coarse rational contact naturally will be softened, and become less rigid and projective and thus more open and clear,
2) or, one can use methods to directly reduce the coarse, rationally created reality. In the second you touch upon and are able to perceive and appreciate a more direct and non-manipulated relationship with reality, a step which in itself will further a non-rational contact with reality.
During the process of establishing a balance between our ordinary, coarse rational perception and the non-rational contact with reality, our psychological problems change as they are part and parcel of the coarse rational creations. In dealing with dreams, in the dream state in particular, we initially train the non-rational way of contacting reality, using our dream body/mind abilities. From this basis we deal with the dream object -- and later again with the dream subject -- in different ways, slowly breaking the coarse rational beliefs as well as many other layers of our dualistic way of existence.
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There are 5 different levels (or moments) of perception. However, due to space constraints we won't cover them all here. I'll skip to the third level of perception as it is most relevant to dreaming.
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The third moment of perception can roughly be described as the "taking in" of the sense-impressions by consciousness (which belong to the sixth sense consciousness, the aggregate pertaining to notion/conceptualization). In the ordinary waking state the sense-impressions are not just "taken in" but, especially within our modern, Western, highly materialistic cultures, the sense-impressions are almost simultaneously "taken over" by a consciousness dominated by a coarse-rational approach. This leaves the person with very little, if any, conscious awareness of the pure sense-impressions.
The rational/physical consciousness refers to the consciousness which establishes that the perceived object is in accordance with the stored image, and with the name/connotations of similar, already perceived, objects.
All this is created within a certain complex cultural/individual view of reality.
The image we create of an object has first been singled out from it's natural interconnectedness with the whole and given a name. This image, when it is first created, will most often come between oneself and future similar objects' "perceived". Therefore, instead of actually perceiving the object, in the ordinary waking state, we mainly perceive our already created image of a similar object, and seldom meet the object more intimately than that. In other words, we project our past perceptions and associations to a similar object onto the new one and automatically see it (the new object) as the same as the old one.
The naming/language part in itself is most useful. However, in the rational approach the name/language has a tendency to take over reality. For example, we give language itself more meaning than reality-- ontologically we exchange reality with the MAP of reality. Due to the prejudiced creation of the rational way of contacting reality, which we automatically and more or less subconsciously superimpose on the actual sense perception of the object in focus, we create our own reality, which in general is alienated from and most often not incomparable to reality as such.
Following the "taken in/taking over" of the sense-impressions by consciousness, feelings based on the coarse rational interpretation, arise to a more coarse level of pleasant/unpleasant feeling evaluation.
Pleasant feelings arise when the object in focus seems to nourish and/or protect our image of ourselves, and unpleasant feelings arise when the image of ourselves is endangered. The rational contact provides the direction for the feeling/evaluation of oneself and the feeling/evaluation increases one's belief in the rational perception/cognition. In general, the feeling/evaluation has the last word in reality proofs and in decisions.
When the feeling/evaluation of oneself in relation to the object thus arises, it enhances the further building of a coarse-rational interpretation of the object/reality. For instance, if one first evaluates the object as good/supportive of oneself, one naturally approaches it and contacts more or less solely it's "good" sides. If, however, one first evaluates the object as negative, confronting, or undermining for oneself, one's interpretation and contact is skewed toward it's negative aspects. How trivial this description may sound, but it has a great impact on our perception/cognition of reality.
Why the Dream State Is Particularly Useful for Psychological As Well As Spiritual Observances
The dream state is useful for psychological as well as spiritual observances because of the different manner of functioning, it's different nature. In psychologically changing ourselves, it is stronger and more effective to work with our difficulties from a deeper level of being. This bypasses the coarse, rational domination and also bypasses the limited contact with reality we ordinarily have, due to our bondage within the rough physical body.
If we want to progress in a spiritual direction, to change ourselves existentially, to change the relationship between subject and object towards their unity, then we must transgress both the coarse, rational domination and the limitations and bondage of the physical body.
As has already been demonstrated, our ordinary perception/cognition has a limited relationship to object reality. This is manifest in different ways. First of all, the perceptive/cognitive process of our ordinary waking state is strongly dispersed. The actual perception through the five distinct senses, though they can have direct contact with the five object qualities correlating with the senses, have no unity in themselves and no intellectual abilities. Further, the coarse, rational consciousness, belonging to the sixth sense consciousness, has no direct perceptive tools by itself, but has to rely on the sense impressions of the five physical senses and the five sense consciousnesses. This has a strong tendency to create it's own individual reality, which might differ radically from the ordinary "surface reality" as such. Secondly, the perception/cognition is bound within the physical body and limited accordingly, i.e. it is space and time limited.
In the dream state, as well as in the deep meditation state, perception and cognition are united. The sense-impressions are not functionally distinct. They are not dependant on the physical sense organs, but operate directly from within the sixth sense consciousness, i.e. the fifth sense consciousnesses and the sixth sense consciousness operate naturally in union in the dream/meditation states of being - implying a natural basis for uniting body/mind and subject/object. This doesn't mean that the dream state and the deep meditation state are purely mental states. In general, within the Tibetan Buddhist tradition, body and consciousness always need to work together. A body doesn't work without a consciousness, and a consciousness doesn't work without a body.
In the dream state and deep meditation state, we also have/are a body. However, the dreambody and the body in the deep meditation state, often named the subtle body, are not of physical nature, but are energy bodies, and have therefore the ability to go beyond the limitations and bondage of the physical body, and beyond the space and time fixations.
In the dream state and deep meditation state, we still have/are a body. However, the dreambody and the body in the deep meditation state, often named the subtle body, are not of physical nature, but are energy bodies, and have therefore the ability to go beyond the limitations and bondage of the physical body, and beyond the space and time restrictions.
An energy body can be characterized as the basic energy of our physical body, which is in close connection with the basic mental energy of the rnam-shes. In the ordinary waking state we naturally also have/are an energy body, but we are normally not aware of it. In general, we only use our rough physical body with our coarse rational consciousness. In such a state our physical and mental aspects of being are strongly separated.
However, in the dream state we have already parted from the rough physical body and we naturally have an energy body (the dream body). Because this state is much more closely connected with our ordinary state and our life situation in general, the Tantrics often use the dream state to develop and the subtle body.
Though our more subtle abilities are naturally awakened in the dream state, we are ordinarily, in this state, still dominated by our normal, rational and dualistic views and beliefs of separation between body and consciousness. So in order to be aware of and be able to use the abilities of the dream state, we need to train our dream body and dream consciousness. The training to which we'll now turn.
How To Deal With Dreams Within the Dream State and Within the Imaginary State of Being -- Methods Based on the Traditional Dream Yoga Practice
Stage One
The first stage is "holding the dream." This stage involves training to both remember dreams and to consciously enter into the dream state; That is, to train yourself to have lucid dreams, to know the dream is a dream while dreaming.
For psychological reasons it's very important to remember your dreams. In the waking state we reject the repressed conflicts and fears, which we find difficult to deal with. However, these conflicts and fears, leave imprints, baggage, in our basic psycho/physical energy of the rnam-shes, and reappears in the manifest dream in order to be lived through in this level of being. Some dreamworkers believe that to live through psychological difficulties is the natural psychological function of the dream.
However, when the dream state is at rest and the will power created, the adept should move into the active energy in order to:
1) create a clear dream (a dream which is clearly remembered in details afterwards, leaving a strong impression on the adept) or in order to:
2) consciously be aware in the dream state, knowing the dream is a dream, i.e. having a lucid dream. But if the adept gets too much into active energy, he/she will wake up. He/she therefore needs to hold a fine balance between the non-active and the active energy in order to stay in the lucid dream, neither waking up nor falling back into the ordinary dream flow.
Stage Two
The second stage is "mastering the dream." In this stage, knowing the dream is a dream while dreaming, the adept develops his/her own power of using his/her dream body with volition. This enables him/her to deal actively with the dream object in a way, which is similar to the way we deal with it while awake.
The first step of obtaining the power of mastering his/her dream body, is to consciously be the dreambody, as ordinarily we are being our physical bodies. Being the dreambody still requires the adept to train how to use it. He/she needs to get all the senses to work properly and to be able to move the dreambody at will.
Next the adept trains the use of his/her willpower through the dream body in order to further investigate that which captures his/her interest. When this step is mastered he/she has the ability to acknowledge disturbing psychological structures emerging in the dream, and further he/she has the ability to work directly in the dream state with them.
In this context, I will mention some methods the adept can use to work directly with fear when confronted with negative aspects in the dream scene (the dream object), and discuss how/why these methods work.
The adept is advised never to flee the negativity, but to either fight it, or better still, to let the negativity destroy him/herself. In other words, unite with the negativity. In order to understand how these methods work, we must understand the dynamic between the negativity and the subject being confronted by it. Here we have to reach back to the basic psychology presented earlier under the third skandha, where we found that pleasant feelings arise in contact with the object, when the object seems to nourish and/or protect our image of ourselves, and unpleasant feelings arise, when our image of ourselves is endangered. Thus, within my interpretation and experience the negativity frightening the adept in the dream is a picture/representation of the adept's fear of having his/her self-image destroyed.
If the adept flees the negativity he/she misses the opportunity to work with his/her self-image and with the fear of having it destroyed. Instead, through this action he/she manifests his/her self-image even further. Secondly, if the adept fights that which will destroy his/her self-image, he/she creates a feeling of being protected in him/herself, and he/she will therefore feel stronger both in the dream, and also, it seems, in the waking state. Thirdly, the adept can let the negativity destroy him/herself in the dream, i.e. he/she can unite with the negativity. When the negativity destroys the dream subject, it destroys that which the adept identifies with and therefore wants/needs to protect, his/her self-image.
However, when this is destroyed the adept goes beyond this image of him/herself and reaches a more authentic layer of his/her being. No longer identifying with the image, there is nothing to maintain the game of fear and negativity, which is why there's no longer any fear or negativity. The adept has united him/herself with his/her fear and negativity. Through this act, it seems that, he/she has solved the underlying psychological problems.
Having obtained the ability of "mastering the dream" it is possible for the adept to do many different, and possibly unusual, things within the dream. If, for instance, the adept wants to understand certain things, it could be within the sciences or within philosophy, psychology, the arts, he/she can – through various methods -- contact or tune into "energy-lines" of the knowledge he/she wants to acquire. The dream state gives special possibilities to do so, due to it's special nature of a stronger unity between body/mind and subject/object.
Stage Three
The third stage is "changing the dream." Above I mentioned that the core point in dream yoga is to break or go beyond our dualistic existence. In this stage the adept is supposed to start directly breaking some of his/her strongest beliefs: the belief of solidness and absoluteness of the object, the belief of our separateness from the object, and the belief of time linearity and space fixation. Thus, in order to change the dream object the adept has to train him/herself to master the will power of his/her dream body/mind, to contact his/her basic structuring energy, through which he/she can contact the dream object of the same energy level. On this very subtle structuring level of being there is a correspondence between the energy of the subject and the object, through which the direct contact is possible. Through this direct energy contact the adept can change the object, and/or can create objects at will.
In order to train to go into this subtle structuring level of being, the adept is traditionally instructed to use different deity-meditations in the dream state. However, the use of these specific meditations aren't required. When the adept can tune into this subtle structuring energy of the subject and the object, and use it for changing the object, he/she is breaking the ordinary natural laws of separateness. After obtaining this ability the adept is able by his/her will power and unifying abilities to transgress ordinary space and time limitations.
When the adept is working with the dream object, he/she has to work from his/her more rational/active chakra energy side, still keeping a balance in order not to awake from the dream state. But approaching the training of the unity abilities of subject/object the adept is advised to work more through the non-rational, non-active, feminine energy side.
As I have mentioned before, different levels of imprints, baggage, of more or less problematic observances, give rise to the main part of the dream. Having sufficiently mastered the dream, the adept naturally and spontaneously seems to know which method to use in successfully dealing with the dream appearances, and through these with the underlying baggage. These need to come out, that is to be lived or worked through. After having mastered the methods of changing the dream appearances, the adept can now change the unwanted, unpleasant dream situation or his/her dream being. This act seems to have a direct healing impact on the underlying psychological difficulties associated with his/her waking life.
Stage Four
The fourth and last stage of the dream yoga is to "merge with the unity of the subtle body/mind." Here the adept is no longer working with the dream object/appearances. He/she now works directly through the unity of the subtle feminine and masculine energies of his/her dream subject, going beyond the dream appearances. From this state of being, the adept works directly with his/her relationship to the waking state reality, also breaking the ordinary natural laws of the reality of the waking state.
However, as mentioned in the beginning, it is not so easy to traverse the step of knowing the dream is a dream, to be able to create lucid dreams at will, or to go consciously into the dream state of being.
Dream Reliving
Instead of working directly in the dream state, Some dreamworkers have found it useful for the dreamer to work with the same methods in the imaginary-dream state of being. The imaginary-dream state is a deeply relaxed state from which the dreamer enters a recalled dream, with which he/she wishes to work. It is much more effective to work with the dream from the dream state than it is to work with the recalled dream from the imaginary dream-state. The dream state is more subtle than the imaginary-dream state. The imaginary-dream state is more easily influenced by the view of the coarse, rational consciousness. However, psychologically speaking, if the dreamer is able to enter the imaginary state and not be disturbed or influenced by the rational view then it seems fruitful for him/her to apply the dream yoga methods in the imaginary dream state.
For advancement on the spiritual levels, i.e., existentially changing the dualistic way of existence, breaking the natural laws, it is, of course, difficult to work from the imaginary dream level due to the possible interference of the ordinary coarse rational dualistic view. However, some progress takes place when the methods are properly used.
In general, it should be clear, that any practice towards awakening and developing the subtle energies of body/mind, whether through the imaginary dream state, training the imaginary dream state, training the chakra energies etc., has a great impact on the abilities of the dreamer in creating clear dreams, and in furthering his/her dream power, which is necessary for creating lucid dreams at will, and for working directly with the dream appearances in the dream.
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Famous Dreams:
Famous Writer's Dreams
The visual imagery of dreams, especially of nightmares, has also been captured in pen. Many authors have tried to describe the haunting visages they experienced during their terrifying nocturnal voyages.
We probably all have a favorite story by Edgar Allan Poe, the master of the macabre. Poe's own favorite was The Lady Ligeia. He was particularly captivated by her eyes, which had met his in a dream. Her eyes were "far larger than the ordinary eyes of our race. They were even fuller than the fullest of the gazelle eyes of the tribe of the valley of the Nourjahad."
Almost everyone is familiar with the story of Frankenstein or some version of it. But what most people don't know is that the images and main story came to Mary Shelley in a dream. One night in June 1816, Percy and Mary Shelley, Lord Byron and his mistress, and a local doctor were telling ghost stories at Byron's villa. After hearing several of these stories Byron dared everyone in attendance to write a horror story of their own. Mary Shelly emerged as the most successful among this group or writers. Upon waking from a nightmare, she began to write her horror story; Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, which was published in 1818.
Another British author who acknowledged his heavy indebtedness to dreams is Robert Louis Stevenson. His most famous nightmare story is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Stevenson was in dire financial straits and had been "racking my brains for a plot of any sort" for two days. On the second night, he dreamed "the scene at the window, and a scene afterwards split in two, in which Hyde, pursued for some crime, took the powder and underwent the change in the presence of his pursuers.
Stevenson came to rely heavily upon his dreams for hi literary productivity. His book Across the Plains included "A Chapter on Dreams," which described how he came to depend upon "the Little People" who worked in the nocturnal theatre of his mind whenever it was necessary for him to conceive a new story.
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Reader’s Dream & Analysis:
A Writer's Dream
Wednesday, 6 February 2008 (dreamer is male)
A writer's dream
14 Jan 2007-01-15
A writer's dream
14 Jan 2007-01-15
It is hard to imagine a more bizarre situation than the one I encountered when I entered a hall in which a writers’ forum was taking place, in some indeterminant place in London.
Since I had not even been invited to this symposium my presence was to say the least a mystery, even to myself. There were quiet a number of people in the hall and it seemed as I wandered around that everyone was free to choose a booth occupied by writer of their liking and engage the author in conversation.
As I rounded a corner with the intention of going to the booth where a well known writer was seated, I saw seated in a dimly lit corner an elderly woman; perhaps around 70 years old. She seemed to be knitting. Curiosity got the better of me and I walked over to her, stopping just a few paces away.
She looked up at me with a faint smile and said: “Why don’t you sit down and watch me work?” I didn’t know what to say. This, after all, was a symposium for discussing the technique of writing novels, not for knitting needles!
Out of sheer curiosity I stepped closer to the woman and fixed my eyes on her knitting. It transpired as I looked, that the patterns she was making on the material on which she was knitting, were actually words. Yes! She was knitting words and images into the fabric which accepted them with the eagerness of a newly hatched chick accepting a worm from the beak of mother bird. And as I looked closer still, I noticed a perfectly shaped head of a cow and two chickens emerging amidst the letters where she was weaving speedily across the fabric she used as a canvas.
“What on earth are you doing?” I exclaimed, totally taken aback by what I was seeing.
“Writing a novel of course,” the old lady said, hardly looking up from her work.
“But…” I started.
“But what?”
“You are knitting words and images together…?”
“Isn’t that what writing is all about, Brian?” she asked.
I was astounded. How on earth did this old woman know my name? I was certain I had never met her before.
“How do you know my name?” I asked.
She smiled. Her needles clicked on and I saw a perfectly formed sentence which I could read take shape. What a delightful phrase it was!
“Why do you act as if this is the first time you have seen this type of writing?” she asked all of a sudden.
“But it is!” I cried out. “I have never seen anything like this. You are actually writing a story by knitting words alongside images. That is quiet astonishing!”
“Writing is about relating words to images,” she said calmly. “Words in any type of writing only have meaning because of the imagery they throw in our minds when we read. It is the association between words and images that gives meaning to writing.”
“Of course! And that is how one should write!” I cried out.
“That’s right,” the lady said. “Before you write anything down, ask yourself whether the word you are choosing carries enough power to attach itself to an image in the reader’s mind which closely describes what you want to state.”
“That is simple but very effective,” I exclaimed. I was now glad that none of the people passing saw any reason to give the old lady a second glance, even though her knitted story was growing right before my eyes. I could hardly imagine a more complex yet astonishingly simple form of story telling.
Suddenly, she paused from her knitting. “You see this image of a chicken?” she asked pointing.
“Yes,” I replied looking at the well formed picture of a chicken her needles had drawn. Straw and grains littered the ground around the chicken and it seemed to me as I stared at it that it was picking at the grains with its beak.
“It is alive!” I said.
“Of course it is alive. Everything on the canvas is alive. Touch it,” the old lady said. I leant forward and touched the chicken on its back. Startled, it flapped its wings and landed a couple of stitches away.
“Is this some sort of magic?” I asked stepping back. One or two people looked at me and it seemed from their expressions that they were wandering what on earth I was doing standing next to a dishevelled old lady with knitting needles.
Analysis of A Writer's Dream
The most prominent symbols in this dream are the continuous repetition of the writing motif and the archetypal symbol of the wise old woman or alma mater (earth mother). When an archetype is featured prominently in a dream, it's usually because the dreamer must confront a difficult situation, and/or because the dream is a teaching/instructional dream. In your case, the situation that needs to be dealt with may be your lack of belief in yourself and your writing abilities.
The beginning of the dream gives a clue as to the issues the dream is dealing with. In this case, you find it hard to imagine yourself in the company of writers.
You don't understand why you are in the place/position you're in and also feel that you don't belong with these professionals. However, you've chosen to be there for some reason.
An unexpected, or unplanned turn of events brings you to the place you need to be. You are shown how words and images work together, how knitting these words and images together creates a story.
You're still hesitant and fearful of your own skills and talents, and about earning a living with them. This is demonstrated by the cow head (cow-ard) and chickens and by seeing the chicken feed.
You're still apprehensive about the recognition you may receive (or haven't received). Your name in your dream most often depicts a need or desire for recognition, but in this dream, being a teaching dream, it is probably more of a fear of the recognition you would receive as an author.
This dilemma has been mulling around in your mind for a while. This is not the first time you've faced this conflict --the conflict between your desire to write and your fear of not being good enough.
The wise old woman shows you something that eases your fears ("I saw a perfectly formed sentence which I could read take shape. What a delightful phrase it was!)
She continues on with her lessons. At this point in the dream, you are being told that you have the power (and the choice) to move people with your words, but you are still fearful and don't trust in yourself. As well, your concern over what others might say or think about the choice/s you make (or made) is holding you back, keeping you from accomplishing what it is you desire.
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Symbol (s) of the Month:
The beginning of the dream gives a clue as to the issues the dream is dealing with. In this case, you find it hard to imagine yourself in the company of writers.
You don't understand why you are in the place/position you're in and also feel that you don't belong with these professionals. However, you've chosen to be there for some reason.
An unexpected, or unplanned turn of events brings you to the place you need to be. You are shown how words and images work together, how knitting these words and images together creates a story.
You're still hesitant and fearful of your own skills and talents, and about earning a living with them. This is demonstrated by the cow head (cow-ard) and chickens and by seeing the chicken feed.
You're still apprehensive about the recognition you may receive (or haven't received). Your name in your dream most often depicts a need or desire for recognition, but in this dream, being a teaching dream, it is probably more of a fear of the recognition you would receive as an author.
This dilemma has been mulling around in your mind for a while. This is not the first time you've faced this conflict --the conflict between your desire to write and your fear of not being good enough.
The wise old woman shows you something that eases your fears ("I saw a perfectly formed sentence which I could read take shape. What a delightful phrase it was!)
She continues on with her lessons. At this point in the dream, you are being told that you have the power (and the choice) to move people with your words, but you are still fearful and don't trust in yourself. As well, your concern over what others might say or think about the choice/s you make (or made) is holding you back, keeping you from accomplishing what it is you desire.
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Symbol (s) of the Month:
Writing And Chicken
Writing
There are a number of possible meaning for writing in a dream, other than the most obvious.
According to Edgar Cayce, writing indicates that there's some form of communication going on within the self, other the self and others. This could be telepathic just as easily as physical communication. Often, though, it represents communication between the unconscious and ego, or the superconscious (higher self) and ego. Cayce also suggests that writing (if the actual physical act of writing) appears in a dream it can indicate that you have made a mistake.
Writing, whether actual or implied, may be encouraging you to write.
As well, writing is the physical manifestation of thought -thought in form- so in your dream, you may be being shown what's on your mind at the moment.
Other possibilities for dreaming of writing or seeing yourself writing in your dream may be that you need to make things clear in your mind, or that your unconscious is trying to impress something onto your conscious mind, which is usually important.
And, of course, it may be a pun on setting things "right" or "righting a wrong."
In my own dreams, when I dream of writing, it's usually a reminder that I need to get back to my writing or that I need to get a message across to someone. Which meaning is right depends on the rest of the images and context of the dream.
As I've told you on numerous occasions, you need to look at the entire dream to determine the appropriate meaning of a specific symbol.
There are a number of possible meaning for writing in a dream, other than the most obvious.
According to Edgar Cayce, writing indicates that there's some form of communication going on within the self, other the self and others. This could be telepathic just as easily as physical communication. Often, though, it represents communication between the unconscious and ego, or the superconscious (higher self) and ego. Cayce also suggests that writing (if the actual physical act of writing) appears in a dream it can indicate that you have made a mistake.
Writing, whether actual or implied, may be encouraging you to write.
As well, writing is the physical manifestation of thought -thought in form- so in your dream, you may be being shown what's on your mind at the moment.
Other possibilities for dreaming of writing or seeing yourself writing in your dream may be that you need to make things clear in your mind, or that your unconscious is trying to impress something onto your conscious mind, which is usually important.
And, of course, it may be a pun on setting things "right" or "righting a wrong."
In my own dreams, when I dream of writing, it's usually a reminder that I need to get back to my writing or that I need to get a message across to someone. Which meaning is right depends on the rest of the images and context of the dream.
As I've told you on numerous occasions, you need to look at the entire dream to determine the appropriate meaning of a specific symbol.
Chicken
Dreaming of a chicken for many might have an obvious meaning...but again, it depends on the context of the dream and the individual dreamer. For example, I'm terrified of live chickens. When I was very young, we lived very near a slaughter house. I was outside playing when a headless chicken began chasing me (in my mind anyway). I was absolutely terrified, and that fear has stayed with me, to some degree, my entire life. So for me, a chicken in my dream would probably represent something different than a chicken in your dream.
Birds in general are symbols of joy, song, lightheartedness, and harmony. But also, for centuries, birds have been carriers of messages. They may also represent freedom from the material, the soul, aspirations thoughts and ideas, telepathy and the higher self.
Bird Feed: This image may indicate feeding or nourishing the higher self or spiritual qualities. It may also refer to "small change" "chicken feed" as in money, income or payment, which may suggest insufficient rewards for your efforts or that your own efforts are inadequate.
A grounded, flightless bird, such as a chicken (which doesn't sing) probably doesn't refer to flight, soul or song.
Specific meanings (possibly) for chicken: Chickens are often associated with cowardice and fear. It may also indicate that a person is "hen pecked" or "picked on" by others.
If the dream supports it, it may also represent the game "chicken," wherein 2 opponents go head on to see which one will back down first... showing who's the braver (or more foolish) one.
As always, look to the other symbols, actions and emotions to discover the correct interpretation.
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Readers Comments:
No comments this issue
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From The Editor:
I just want to say thank you to readers that have sent me emails and whom I have begun a lasting (hopefully) relationship with. It's always rewarding to hear from readers.
Next issue will be focused on precognitive/psychic dreaming, so stay tuned. It'll be an interesting issue :-)
Talk to you next month.
Dreaming of a chicken for many might have an obvious meaning...but again, it depends on the context of the dream and the individual dreamer. For example, I'm terrified of live chickens. When I was very young, we lived very near a slaughter house. I was outside playing when a headless chicken began chasing me (in my mind anyway). I was absolutely terrified, and that fear has stayed with me, to some degree, my entire life. So for me, a chicken in my dream would probably represent something different than a chicken in your dream.
Birds in general are symbols of joy, song, lightheartedness, and harmony. But also, for centuries, birds have been carriers of messages. They may also represent freedom from the material, the soul, aspirations thoughts and ideas, telepathy and the higher self.
Bird Feed: This image may indicate feeding or nourishing the higher self or spiritual qualities. It may also refer to "small change" "chicken feed" as in money, income or payment, which may suggest insufficient rewards for your efforts or that your own efforts are inadequate.
A grounded, flightless bird, such as a chicken (which doesn't sing) probably doesn't refer to flight, soul or song.
Specific meanings (possibly) for chicken: Chickens are often associated with cowardice and fear. It may also indicate that a person is "hen pecked" or "picked on" by others.
If the dream supports it, it may also represent the game "chicken," wherein 2 opponents go head on to see which one will back down first... showing who's the braver (or more foolish) one.
As always, look to the other symbols, actions and emotions to discover the correct interpretation.
============================
Readers Comments:
No comments this issue
============================
From The Editor:
I just want to say thank you to readers that have sent me emails and whom I have begun a lasting (hopefully) relationship with. It's always rewarding to hear from readers.
Next issue will be focused on precognitive/psychic dreaming, so stay tuned. It'll be an interesting issue :-)
Talk to you next month.
Dream Well,
Terry
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