I read something recently that said REM sleep is like parallel consciousness, as the brain acts the same way as if awake. When you're in REM sleep, you are not in deep restorative sleep. The mind and body needs a balance of both. The article also indicated that people who "excessively dream"-no definition of what excessive is- are more depressed then those who don't dream. I have qualms with that.
Dreaming is a valuable tool that should not be under estimated, but it is in our society. Dreams are considered foolish, absurd, bizarre and have no relevance to waking life. Any talented dreamer that has taken the time to enhance their understanding knows how relevant dreams are to providing solutions in every day life. Many of the greatest inventors and scientist have used their dreams to figure how things work or to make things work more efficiently. Sir Isaac Newton is one of them.
What I'm getting at here is that dreams provide insight and enhance emotional well being when dreaming states are controlled. First, most people need to learn how to recall their dreams. The most frequent statement I hear from people is that "I don't remember my dreams", so they have no value to the individual. If a person does recall them, ever so briefly, they never write them down and are quickly forgotten. If a dream is vivid and repetitive, it is often associated with fear and the person wants to forget it. Hence, real dreaming takes patience to cultivate the method of allowing the dream to play out, recalling and then translating it. This is by no means a short process. You must be committed and intentional in working with your dreams as often as they occur.
However, dreaming can get out of hand. Once the dreamer has figured out how to do the above, the flood gates are open and your mind is on a quest for adventure at night. This can result in lack of sleep due to the shear number of dreams one has. That lack of sleep can turn into insomnia, which can turn into depression.
So, once the flood gates are open, how do you close them or at least partially shut the gate? I think it's different for everyone. For me dreamers, is that I must write my dreams down as soon as I wake up. I can't wait till morning to write them down, as I began on a path of "trying to remember" all night long which resulted in half sleeping. I got no rest and was miserable.
No way do I want to stop my dreams, but I don't want to be controlled by them. If this is happening to you don't fear that you're dreams are going to go away, because they're not. Allow yourself some real sleep. I'm not going to give you pointers on how to control the flow, as when the dreaming is happening and your actions afterward will show you what adjustments you need to make in your process. It's so different for everyone. My point here is simple. Cultivate your dreams on your terms, don't let the mind run all night long. You'll be happier and so will your mate and coworkers.
Dream on my friends.
Blessings,
Dreamer
http://www.envisiondreams.com/
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Sunday, February 19, 2012
How to begin again.
As I sit here tonight, I'm confused by the recent happenings in my life and how I'm suppose to make meaning out of them. I'm in a state of shock. Somewhere between feeling numb and wanting to cry all the time, as I received an ending before the beginning.
The best self-help guru's, motivational speakers, life coaches, therapists and whoever else you can think of will always tell you to live from your heart/soul, make a plan, forge ahead (be intentional and passionate), ask for help and don't stop until you arrive at your goal. Sometimes, you can do all the steps but not reach your goal and then what? That's where I'm at my dreamers. Just confused, disappointed and don't know what to begin with next.
The great thing is over the last few nights my dreams have been very active. I can't tell you how comforting they are to me. They're a constant in my life. I cherish them and honor them daily by writing them down. No matter how obscure the symbols are, I know there is something to be learned from them. I feel like a kid on a treasure hunt and they are my map. It's no different now, in this winter season of my life.
I'm not hear to tell you dreamers how to renew yourself when you've had a huge disappointment in your life, as I'm right in the middle of my chaos. What I can tell you is that your dreams will guide you through. Right now I'm just processing the event. My feelings are being brought to light, so I can understand what it is I am experiencing.
For example, just last night I dreamed I was at my childhood home. We lived on top of a hill, so are back yard had a retaining wall that separated it from the driveway. The driveway was probably 3 feet lower than the yard. I was outside. It was a sunny day, but the yard was all torn up and the retaining wall was in chunks. I look to the right and see the bushes that separate the yard from the street and see sea shells all over the ground. I look up and I see a pre-historic bird, similar to a crane coming in for a landing. It was redish-brown and speckled with those super long legs. It lands and begins picking up the shells. I think to myself, "why would this bird want empty shells", but it keeps picking them up. I then look back to the yard and see a palm tree knocked over (we lived in the midwest) and a pine or spruce tree knocked over. I run inside the house to get my mom.
Once inside, I see my mom vacuuming. I yell at her to get her attention and she shuts off the vacuum and we look out the window to the back yard. I then run back outside, but with a clothes basket, white and rectangular in shape. I put it down and begin putting wet clothes in the basket, thinking I need to get these trees planted. I want to plant the palm tree first and believe if I put it in the basket it will be weighted down enough to stand straight, but then I realize I put way too many clothes in the basket.
What does all this mean? I feel uprooted and in a crumbled state. I'm an empty shell, picking at what is left. The crane is considered to be a sign of longevity, meaning I feel my problem is going to be long term. The wet clothes and trying to plant a tree in them suggests that I want to change my outward appearance/persona but am overcome with emotion. A palm tree indicates warmth and a spruce or pine tree also indicates longevity. So, based upon the recent events in my life, emotionally I feel empty and unsure but know that I must begin again. I need roots like the tree.
I hope you find this helpful and that you may begin to see the signs in your dreams that can help you continue to grow and move forward in your life.
Blessings,
Dreamer
http://www.envisiondreams.com/
The best self-help guru's, motivational speakers, life coaches, therapists and whoever else you can think of will always tell you to live from your heart/soul, make a plan, forge ahead (be intentional and passionate), ask for help and don't stop until you arrive at your goal. Sometimes, you can do all the steps but not reach your goal and then what? That's where I'm at my dreamers. Just confused, disappointed and don't know what to begin with next.
The great thing is over the last few nights my dreams have been very active. I can't tell you how comforting they are to me. They're a constant in my life. I cherish them and honor them daily by writing them down. No matter how obscure the symbols are, I know there is something to be learned from them. I feel like a kid on a treasure hunt and they are my map. It's no different now, in this winter season of my life.
I'm not hear to tell you dreamers how to renew yourself when you've had a huge disappointment in your life, as I'm right in the middle of my chaos. What I can tell you is that your dreams will guide you through. Right now I'm just processing the event. My feelings are being brought to light, so I can understand what it is I am experiencing.
For example, just last night I dreamed I was at my childhood home. We lived on top of a hill, so are back yard had a retaining wall that separated it from the driveway. The driveway was probably 3 feet lower than the yard. I was outside. It was a sunny day, but the yard was all torn up and the retaining wall was in chunks. I look to the right and see the bushes that separate the yard from the street and see sea shells all over the ground. I look up and I see a pre-historic bird, similar to a crane coming in for a landing. It was redish-brown and speckled with those super long legs. It lands and begins picking up the shells. I think to myself, "why would this bird want empty shells", but it keeps picking them up. I then look back to the yard and see a palm tree knocked over (we lived in the midwest) and a pine or spruce tree knocked over. I run inside the house to get my mom.
Once inside, I see my mom vacuuming. I yell at her to get her attention and she shuts off the vacuum and we look out the window to the back yard. I then run back outside, but with a clothes basket, white and rectangular in shape. I put it down and begin putting wet clothes in the basket, thinking I need to get these trees planted. I want to plant the palm tree first and believe if I put it in the basket it will be weighted down enough to stand straight, but then I realize I put way too many clothes in the basket.
What does all this mean? I feel uprooted and in a crumbled state. I'm an empty shell, picking at what is left. The crane is considered to be a sign of longevity, meaning I feel my problem is going to be long term. The wet clothes and trying to plant a tree in them suggests that I want to change my outward appearance/persona but am overcome with emotion. A palm tree indicates warmth and a spruce or pine tree also indicates longevity. So, based upon the recent events in my life, emotionally I feel empty and unsure but know that I must begin again. I need roots like the tree.
I hope you find this helpful and that you may begin to see the signs in your dreams that can help you continue to grow and move forward in your life.
Blessings,
Dreamer
http://www.envisiondreams.com/
Friday, February 3, 2012
When an object appears to have no direct connection to you.
I've been away for awhile my dreamers, and not on a wonderful vacation. My family is going through a huge transition and I've been unable to find the time to sit and write.
However, it's not that I haven't had a ton of dreams. They keep coming in waves and I love it. What has been interesting for me, is that I keep receiving images that appear to have no connection or meaning to me, but draw me in, wanting to know more.
The symbols that have appeared to me don't seem to be connected to each other and don't hold a special place in my heart or an experience/memory from earlier in life. I would wake each morning trying to figure out why they were being shown to me.
After searching my brain for any hint of recollection, I gave up and went to my dream dictionaries. Yes, I do use them. Many "accomplished" dreamers scoff of them, but I find them useful when I'm at a stand still for information and have no one to bounce ideas off of. There aren't many people in my daily life that pay credence to their dreams. A shock, I know.
Out of all the symbols there was just one that really stuck with me. The dream had an eerie quality to it and I acted totally out of character for myself, so those two things really got my attention. To be honest, I'm still not sure what the dream is trying to convey to me, and I'm still working out the meaning. I will share just a snippet of with you.
I'm with two other woman and I'm driving a car. We are in a neighborhood with tree lined streets. I pull over and we get out, walking deeper into the neighborhood. However, we are now in a large field that is both rocky and grassy. I look up and see a hillside. A man is sitting on a horse and another boy is washing a pony. The pony looks very unhappy. Hurt. When I turn my attention back to my friends, someone else is approaching us and offers me something. I hold out both of my hands and it's a miniature pony-that fits in my hands. The pony is just laying there. I notice it is a dark brown red color. I notice cuts all over it. Someone asks if I can save it. My friends encourage me to bring it home. I give the pony back to the person and say, I know nothing about horses and we don't have a barn. I then leave.
My dream dictionary has 4 pages written about the various meanings of the horse. What's written is the horse is a carrier of death; connected to war, the underworld, untamed power and but can also serve as guide, protector, and rebirth.
As I said before, I'm not sure why this symbol was shown to me 3 times in one dream and it's message remains unclear, as I don't equate horses with death. Sometimes, the meaning won't be revealed for some time. What's important, is that you are noticing the symbols and how the images are getting you to move beyond your regular discernment, as your dreams are becoming more complex as you move to your higher self.
Don't be discouraged dreamers. I'm not. This is what makes dreaming so interesting.
Blessings
http://www.envisiondreams.com/
However, it's not that I haven't had a ton of dreams. They keep coming in waves and I love it. What has been interesting for me, is that I keep receiving images that appear to have no connection or meaning to me, but draw me in, wanting to know more.
The symbols that have appeared to me don't seem to be connected to each other and don't hold a special place in my heart or an experience/memory from earlier in life. I would wake each morning trying to figure out why they were being shown to me.
After searching my brain for any hint of recollection, I gave up and went to my dream dictionaries. Yes, I do use them. Many "accomplished" dreamers scoff of them, but I find them useful when I'm at a stand still for information and have no one to bounce ideas off of. There aren't many people in my daily life that pay credence to their dreams. A shock, I know.
Out of all the symbols there was just one that really stuck with me. The dream had an eerie quality to it and I acted totally out of character for myself, so those two things really got my attention. To be honest, I'm still not sure what the dream is trying to convey to me, and I'm still working out the meaning. I will share just a snippet of with you.
I'm with two other woman and I'm driving a car. We are in a neighborhood with tree lined streets. I pull over and we get out, walking deeper into the neighborhood. However, we are now in a large field that is both rocky and grassy. I look up and see a hillside. A man is sitting on a horse and another boy is washing a pony. The pony looks very unhappy. Hurt. When I turn my attention back to my friends, someone else is approaching us and offers me something. I hold out both of my hands and it's a miniature pony-that fits in my hands. The pony is just laying there. I notice it is a dark brown red color. I notice cuts all over it. Someone asks if I can save it. My friends encourage me to bring it home. I give the pony back to the person and say, I know nothing about horses and we don't have a barn. I then leave.
My dream dictionary has 4 pages written about the various meanings of the horse. What's written is the horse is a carrier of death; connected to war, the underworld, untamed power and but can also serve as guide, protector, and rebirth.
As I said before, I'm not sure why this symbol was shown to me 3 times in one dream and it's message remains unclear, as I don't equate horses with death. Sometimes, the meaning won't be revealed for some time. What's important, is that you are noticing the symbols and how the images are getting you to move beyond your regular discernment, as your dreams are becoming more complex as you move to your higher self.
Don't be discouraged dreamers. I'm not. This is what makes dreaming so interesting.
Blessings
http://www.envisiondreams.com/
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