Working With a Dream

Record the dream. Describe every detail and experience in first person just as if you were back in the dream right now. Looking back at the dream after it is recorded, compose a sentence which describes what happened in the dream. Compose another sentence describing what you did about it. Write another statement about how the dream ended.

Just recording and summarizing the dream may be enough for your intuition to give you an idea or hints about the meaning of the dream. If at all possible, record every dream you remember even if you have a tendency to dismiss the dream as insignificant. Every dream has something to say to you. Dreams tend to follow themes. The dream you discard may be one pearl in a string of pearls.

When you are ready to do some serious work with the dream, follow these steps:

1. LIST PLACES, PEOPLE, ANIMALS AND ALL PROPS. Just as in a play, the setting of the drama is significant.

2. IDENTIFY ASSOCIATIONS. Each item on the previous list needs to be given serious consideration. Start with the setting then go to characters, animals, and props. Do not set aside anyone or thing as insignificant--assume everything in the dream is there for a reason. To bring up associations ask:

What do I think of when I think of________________________? It helps to draw a diagram like you see here. In the center write the name of the person, place, animal or object. Then ask the question repeatedly until you have 10 or more association for each item.

3. Regarding each association, ask: Where have I seen this in myself lately?

4. Once you have a sense of which association fits, ask: Why would this image come to me at this time in my life?

5. After serious consideration of all associations and responses to these questions, ask: What do I need to do to honor this dream?WORKING WITH A DREAM Record the dream. Describe every detail and experience in first person just as if you were back in the dream right now. Looking back at the dream after it is recorded, compose a sentence which describes what happened in the dream. Compose another sentence describing what you did about it. Write another statement about how the dream ended. Just recording and summarizing the dream may be enough for your intuition to give you an idea or hints about the meaning of the dream. If at all possible, record every dream you remember even if you have a tendency to dismiss the dream as insignificant. Every dream has something to say to you. Dreams tend to follow themes. The dream you discard may be one pearl in a string of pearls. When you are ready to do some serious work with the dream, follow these steps:1. LIST PLACES, PEOPLE, ANIMALS AND ALL PROPS. Just as in a play, the setting of the drama is significant. 2. IDENTIFY ASSOCIATIONS. Each item on the previous list needs to be given serious consideration. Start with the setting then go to characters, animals, and props. Do not set aside anyone or thing as insignificant--assume everything in the dream is there for a reason. To bring up associations ask:What do I think of when I think of________________________? It helps to draw a diagram like you see here. In the center write the name of the person, place, animal or object. Then ask the question repeatedly until you have 10 or more association for each item.3. Regarding each association, ask: Where have I seen this in myself lately?4. Once you have a sense of which association fits, ask: Why would this image come to me at this time in my life?5. After serious consideration of all associations and responses to these questions, ask: What do I need to do to honor this dream?