Meaning of Dreams: Spiritual Guidance from dreams

By Judith Bourque

Many of us take our dreams for granted, not realizing that the dream state is actually an expanded state of consciousness. Due to the fact that the ego lets go of a lot of the control it normally exercises during the day, we become more open to healing forces that help us to regain balance mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually as we dream.

There are many different schools of thought regarding the meaning and use of dreams - I call the dreamwork I teach the Esoteric Dream School since I believe that humans are spiritual beings, here on an evolutionary journey. I believe we have a higher self, that part of ourselves which is more enlightened and is the one constant at the core of our different lifetimes.

Our higher selves often work with us through our dreams - healing, advising, encouraging, and sometimes warning us of coming dangers. It is also possible to receive great spiritual gifts and knowledge in the form of visionary dreams. In the shamanic tradition for example, it is known that a developing healer can be initated as a shaman and given specific healing powers in the dream state. Such dreams are life transforming.

Anyone who desires to derive more conscious benefit from their dreams can achieve that goal. When I started in 1986, I could not remember much...an occasional clearer dream, otherwise just  nonsensical fragments. Once I made the decision to start keeping track of them new insights  about consciousness appeared from the very start. Today, I remember my dreams most nights and am able to apply the information they give me to my everyday life. I am also able to assist others, not only as a dream interpreter, but as a dream traveler, searching out and gaining information for various problems they request help with.

There are 3 basic steps to becoming a proficient dreamer if you consider yourself inexperienced.

1) REMEMBER YOUR DREAMS

Start to record your dreams. Have a journal - for that purpose only - by your bedside and write down the very first dream fragment you experience. It does not matter whether or not it seems important. By getting the journal and devoting time to this activity, you are sending a message to your consciousness that you are more interested in your dreams. This will automatically increase your ability to remember.

Write page numbers in your journal so you can make your own index of content. Don't forget the date, make a few short notes about what you were doing that day, and whether or not there were any other influences, such as a full or new moon. As time goes by, you will observe certain patterns to your dreaming that will assist you in understanding their meaning.

If you are still having difficulty remembering your dreams, give yourself positive suggestions mentally a few times just before falling asleep. Examples of such suggestions are "When I wake up in the morning, I will remember my dreams." or "Tonight I will take a photo of the most important part of my dreams and remember it when I wake up." In the morning I will often use the following suggestion before arising if I am having trouble with recall: "I can and I will remember my dreams."

Another important aspect of writing down your dreams is that often you will understand the meaning spontaneously as you write. The same effect can be acheived by sharing your dream with a friend or dreamwork partner who is willing to listen.

2) LEARN DREAM SYMBOLS

In order to be able to start interpreting the symbols your mind is using to communicate with you, you can start by using a symbol lexicon or even a dictionary. There are various dream interpretation books on the market. Some are excellent. But a word of caution here: I have found many dream lists that are superficial and superstitious...written on a "parlor room" level if you will. Be selective. In the end, a symbol has the meaning that your consciousness applies to it and there is most certainly a cultural influence to be accounted for. However, there are many universal themes in our dreams that are common to all humans on the planet, and these themes can be discussed and further explored during dreamwork classes. Other topics to be covered in class are the different types of dreams such as nightmares, clairvoyance, teaching, healing, mirror, etc.

3) PROGRAM YOUR DREAMTIME

As you become a more proficient dreamer, you can eventually learn to program your dreamtime to get advice on a particular question, to visit other places*, or to enter a state of lucid dreaming, which means that you are aware of the fact that you are dreaming while you are dreaming. This is achieved by giving yourself appropriate suggestions before falling asleep.

(*In the dream state the ordinary rules of physics do not apply...our spirit can actually leave the body and visit other places, other dimensions, other ages since we step out of the time/space zone in dreams. The dream state also allows us to communicate with those closest to us who have passed over.)

One of mankind's greatest fears is that he is alone in the universe, abandoned to fateful forces of destruction. My dreams have time and time again totally and irrevocably convinced me that just the opposite is true. We are watched over, guided and supported through all of life's trials and tribulations. Dream miracles have become a part of my daily life! I encourage and invite you to start your dream journal today and to become more acquainted with how your dream consciousness is speaking with you so that you can experience your own dream miracles!