Dreamsareamystery

Scientistsstillcannotexplainwithanycertaintywhywedream.Dreamsaremagical,linkingusto
anotherworldfullofwisdomandsymbolism.Ourdreamsreconnectustoourtruewildself.They
revealtousthewisdomofourintuition,noteasilyaccessiblebytheconsciousmind.Dreamsplaywith
ourfears,testingourlimits.Theylinkusbacktoourancestorsthroughthesharedcollectiveknowledge
ofallhumankind.

CulturalInterpretationsofDreaming

Differentcultureshavewidelyvariedinterpretationsofdreamsandtheimportanceofdreaming.The
DreamtimeofAboriginalAustralians,forexample,isAkindoftimeoutoftimeThattimebefore
theworlditselfwasentirelyawake.Duringthattime,theAncestorsemergedandmadetheirmarks
upontheland,formingmountainsandvalleys,riversandforests.Whenababyisbornintheirculture,
sheinheritsaparticularstretchoftheDreamtimesongastretchoftheEarthasherownpersonal
property,whichbelongstonooneelse.ThechildisonewiththeAncestorwhoshapedthattractof
land.Nomatterhowfarawaysheventuresovertheyears,attheendofherlifeshewillreturntothe
placeofherconception,tosing[her]selfbackintotheland.

Anotherculture,theSngoipeopleofMalaysia,believethatthedreamworldisrealandthewaking
worldisanillusion.Theybelievethattheytraveltotherealworldeachnightinordertobringback
experiencesthatwillhelpthemtoknowwhattodointheshadowworld,thewakingworld.They
gathertogetheratduskinsmallhuts,softlytouching,leaningagainsteachother,armsdrapedoverone
anotherastheyfallasleep.Inthemorninglight,thosewhosleptneareachotherformasmallcircle
and,whilestilldrowsy,sharetheirdreamswithoneanother.Oftenitoccursthatseveralofthemhave
thesamedream,orsimilardreams.Whattheydreamedaboutwillfrequentlycometrueinsomeway
duringthefollowingday,orprovideneededguidancetothecommunity.

Ourindigenouspartners,theAchuarpeopleofEcuador,areatruedreamcultureliketheSngoi.
Theywakeeverymorningat3or4a.m.,severalhoursbeforesunrise,toshareaherbalinfusionmade
fromthewayusaplantandbeginaceremonytosharetheirdreamsandplantheirdaycommunally.
Dreamsharingisconsideredasocialresponsibility,asonepersonsdreammayhaveanimpacton
anotherpersonorevenontheentirecommunity.TheAchuarbelievethatthetworealitieswaking
anddreamingareonecontinuousexistence,andthatdreamingandsharingthedreamswitheach
otherhelptorevealunderlyinglayersofmeaningintheirworld.Ifadreamisnegative,thedreamerhas
achancetoredreamasmanytimesasneededuntiltheyreceiveadreamthatisacceptabletothemor
tothecommunity.ItiskeytotheAchuarbeliefsystemthatwecanallrewriteourlivesifwechoose
todoso.

Inalloftheseculturalbeliefsaboutdreaming,thereisasofteningoftheedgesofwhatweinmodern
societyconsiderreality.Thereisanopeningtopowerfulmagic,atrustinginthecollectivewisdom
sharedbypeopleandtheEarth.Thereislessresistance;moreacceptanceofwhattheheartknows.The
dreaminterpretationsarelayeredandwovenintoastoryofhopeforthedaysandyearsahead,with
guidanceforthepeoplecomingfromaneverpresentsourceofwisdom.

Thereissuchbeautyinthiswayofliving.Howcanweincorporatethistrust,thisopening,intoour
ownlives?

Perhapsthefollowingquestionswillhelpyoutofindmeaningand
guidanceinyourowndreams:

Whatkindofdreamerareyou?Areyourdreamsinfusedwithsymbolsormetaphors,ordotheycontain
moremundaneimagessuchasareplayofthepriordaysevents?Doyouvisityourfears?Doyour
dreamsfeelloving,playful,orstressful?Sometheoriesstatethatdreaminghelpstorefreshour
memoryandaidsinstoringnewlearning.Thereisalsoevidenceoftouchinganotherworldindreams,
orhavingwisdomrevealedtous.Thisoccursinthecaseoftheindigenousdreamcultures,andasmany
peoplehaveexperiencedwhentheydreamsomethingandthenaverysimilareventoccursintheir
wakinglife.

Doyourememberyourdreams?Ordoyouforgetthemintherushofthemorningasyouwakeupto
youralarmclockandyourmindracesforthedayahead?Ifyouwanttorememberyourdreams,placea
notebookandpennearyourbed,easytoreachwhenyouarehalfasleep,andtrytojotdownjustafew
wordsaboutadreamifyouawakeninthemiddleofthenight.Thesewordswilltriggeryourmemory
torecallmoredetailsaboutthedreamlaterthatday.

Haveyoueverexperiencedamarkedincreaseinthefrequencyofyourdreams?Duringtimessuchas
pregnancy,manypeoplereportanincreaseinthenumberandintensityofdreams.Someofthedreams
maybelinkedtochangesinthebody,suchasdreamingofwaterorfishwhenthewombisfillingwith
lifegivingfluids.Somepregnantwomenhavehaddreamsthatrevealedthenameorpredictedthesex
oftheirbaby.

ANewDreamfortheWorld

Doyoueverfeelthatthedreamofthemodernworldisheadedinthewrongdirection,darkenedby
materialismandenvironmentaldestruction?

Ifyoubelieveinthepossibilityofanewdreamforourworld,adreaminwhichloveandgratitudetake
precedenceoverprofitandgreed;wherealllifeishonored;wheretrueenvironmentalsustainabilityis
possiblewhenwejoinhandsandworktogetherthenconsiderparticipatingintheAwakeningthe
DreamerSymposium.Thistransformativeeducationalworkshopwillhelpyoudiscoverthespecialand
sacredroleyoucanplayincreatinganewandbrighterfutureforourplanet.