What are dreams?

Many people like to ponder the question, “What are dreams?”  There is much that has been said about them within the fields of psychotherapy, psychology, anthropology, theology and neuroscience.  What emerges for me as most vibrant is not so much the physiological or theoretical nature of dreams, but more their qualities and the relationship that they extend to the dreamer - one that only grows in depth and breadth over time.  When given attention, time and space some dream images will transmute before our very eyes, so that what has been held in body (for generations even) suddenly reveals its true nature to us - shifting the dynamics within and without and beyond. 

Creating a container for the open exploration of dreams is at the heart of this work.  During a dream exploration session, you will tell me the story of your dream and then we will walk through it together taking time to explore landscape, motif, emotional tones, and images.

How can I begin working with my dreams?

We dream five to seven dreams every night.  Here are a few suggestions for beginning to work with your dreams.

• Ask for dreams.  Tell Dream Maker that you would like to begin to remember and to work with your dreams.  Place a pencil or pen and pad of paper next to your bed before going to sleep.  Some people prefer to make an audio recording of their dreams; this is also an option.  Having these tools nearby will be helpful should you wake up in the middle of the night with a dream that’s presenting itself to you.

• In the morning, upon waking and before sitting up let yourself notice any dream material that has arrived on the shores of waking awareness.  Are you aware of a feeling, a word, a dream image or a whole episodic story? Whatever you have let yourself be with it by going over the dream material from this position.

• Once you're up and about, take a few minutes to jot the dream down so that you have it to work with in the moment or later on.  Write the dream in present tense and with verbs that end in “ing”.  This will provide you with a sense of nowness and of action.  

• Naps can also provide an opening for dreams to emerge.  

• Keep in mind that dream recall is reduced by such things as fatigue, lack of sleep, loud interruptions (including alarm clocks), vitamin B deficiency, and drugs (including alcohol, sleeping pills, antihistamines and stimulants).