"We are so much more than we know. Our dreams come to remind us of this night after night, each one a message inspired by an indwelling source of bright intelligence that retains an awareness of all that we are and may become."
~Maggie Peters
Now this is a subject dear to my heart. I have always been fascinated by the nighttime theater of our dreams. There seems to be some smarter, wiser, more ingenious part of ourselves who creates these dramas—a sort of Dream Maker who somehow chooses the perfect cast of characters, the perfect symbols, to make a point, to reflect to us something we need to see, something that if we pay attention can lead us toward health and wholeness. Like discovering buried treasure, our dreams help us to uncover lost parts of ourselves; they inspire creativity; they help us to heal and transform.
Sometimes a dream feels like a gift from something beyond ourselves (Spirit, Higher Self, the Divine, whatever you like to call it). I had such a dream following the end of a long-term relationship, during a time when I was feeling particularly bereft. The dream opens with a battle scene, like something out of Henry V, with men in black on black horses on one side and men in white on white horses on the other, arrows flying, on a dark misty field.
All of a sudden, three figures emerge from the middle of this battlefield, walking calmly and confidently, surrounded by a halo of golden light, unfazed by the battle raging around them, carrying something precious. As I look more closely I see that it is three characters from Lord of the Rings: Aragorn, the strong and courageous human, Gandalf the wise and mystical Wizard, and Legolas the Elf, fleet of foot and skilled in the healing arts.
One way of looking at dreams is to imagine every character as reflecting some part of ourselves, carrying some energy that we may not be aware of. It's helpful to reflect on the characters and actually embody the energy, to imagine ourselves as that character. Looking at this dream in that light, it felt like I was being given a gift, to see that I have those characteristics within me—strength, courage, wisdom, the ability to transcend my current circumstances, and the ability to heal. Even though in my waking life that was far from what I was feeling—it gave me hope and vision. I could imagine that those qualities would emerge more clearly in time.
I am grateful for the wisdom of our dreams, and very grateful for the possibilities for healing, growth and transformation, especially as we share our dreams with others in the sacred container of a dream group. I am especially grateful to my teachers, in particular the wise and mystical dream wizard Jeremy Taylor, who has made this work so accessible to so many.
Wishing you sweet (and enlightening) dreams!
No comments:
Post a Comment