Learning about Dreams and Dreamwork
Everyone dreams. These important messages from the night, often neglected, dismissed or chuckled over, are actually sources of healing, creativity and a better life if we take them seriously.
In order to learn how to access the help we can receive from our dreams we can turn to dreamwork. Dreamwork is a way to approach dreams that is done in a group setting. It is a powerful method of learning what our dreams mean.
What is Dreamwork?
The projective method of working with dreams, popularized by pioneer dreamworker Jeremy Taylor, is the one I use in my dreamwork classes. When a person recounts his or her dream during the class their classmates will "project" a meaning onto the dream from their point of view. Prefacing their remarks with "If this were my dream…," so as to keep the dreamer comfortable and more objective about the group's ideas, the group will explore the various meanings they discover in the dream. The group continues until the dreamer feels satisfied with the insights.
A dreamwork class meets once a week for six weeks. The class runs about two hours.
Each class begins and ends with a meditative exercise, to get the group centered and removed from the cares of the day.
Usually two to four dreams are worked on in each class session.
To prepare do dreamwork all you need is a dream journal and a pencil or pen to record the dreams of the week. Dreamers might also bring in drawings or paintings of their dreams. If a dream has dramatic potential all can take part in dream theater -enacting the dream story- for clarification of the dream's themes and healing for both the dreamer and the group.
Dreamwork is always done in a warm, supportive and confidential atmosphere. The dreamer always has the final say about a dream, too.
Dreamwork is a simple yet profound way of taking part in your evolution as a human being. Dreams always come in the service of health and wholeness, no matter how strange or scary they might seem to be. Once you begin dreamwork and become acquainted with the meaning of your dreams and learn their sometimes arcane language your life will change for the better!
Everyone dreams. These important messages from the night, often neglected, dismissed or chuckled over, are actually sources of healing, creativity and a better life if we take them seriously.
In order to learn how to access the help we can receive from our dreams we can turn to dreamwork. Dreamwork is a way to approach dreams that is done in a group setting. It is a powerful method of learning what our dreams mean.
What is Dreamwork?
The projective method of working with dreams, popularized by pioneer dreamworker Jeremy Taylor, is the one I use in my dreamwork classes. When a person recounts his or her dream during the class their classmates will "project" a meaning onto the dream from their point of view. Prefacing their remarks with "If this were my dream…," so as to keep the dreamer comfortable and more objective about the group's ideas, the group will explore the various meanings they discover in the dream. The group continues until the dreamer feels satisfied with the insights.
A dreamwork class meets once a week for six weeks. The class runs about two hours.
Each class begins and ends with a meditative exercise, to get the group centered and removed from the cares of the day.
Usually two to four dreams are worked on in each class session.
To prepare do dreamwork all you need is a dream journal and a pencil or pen to record the dreams of the week. Dreamers might also bring in drawings or paintings of their dreams. If a dream has dramatic potential all can take part in dream theater -enacting the dream story- for clarification of the dream's themes and healing for both the dreamer and the group.
Dreamwork is always done in a warm, supportive and confidential atmosphere. The dreamer always has the final say about a dream, too.
Dreamwork is a simple yet profound way of taking part in your evolution as a human being. Dreams always come in the service of health and wholeness, no matter how strange or scary they might seem to be. Once you begin dreamwork and become acquainted with the meaning of your dreams and learn their sometimes arcane language your life will change for the better!
