Dream Analysis of the Week- Face the Music

Dream:

I dreamed that something was following me and yet also avoiding me.  I could see it in the eyes of a colleague who did not return my calls. I felt it in a man who did not wish to speak with me as he turned away and drove off in a truck that grew wings and flew.  I could sense it as I read newspaper headlines about local real estate developpers. Angry local women were protesting a court outcome.  I sensed the same thing vying for my attention everytime I picked up my phone to check email or social media.  It was like the itch that seemed to move to a different place in my body if I made a move to scratch it. Even when I resisted scratching, the sensation would be evoked by the external.  It was harder to tune in and feel this music in the sun.

Insight:

For some people, letting go is an idea, something very difficult to do.  We become very good at ignoring our gut. The ultimate goal is natural awareness.  At some point, you do not know how not to be aware. That is when everything is meditation. Awareness is all that is. At that stage, there is no period of starting and stopping meditation. Yet, in the beginning, steps of guidance, focused attention, going to a place at a particular time, control, are required to shift into, help us recall this state. An analogy can be seen as honesty and dishonesty play out in our own life experience. This is our process of shifting out of ego fear and into love.

Dreams that echo inner conflict point to the roots of unrecognized or unexplained anger, resentments or guilt. Part of you wants to see things for what they are in the present moment, accept and integrate what bothers you, yet fear, conditioning keep you in denial.  The only way to accept others is to fully accept ourselves first, including decoding our shadow.  What we think we reject in others often simply reflects what we judge or reject about ourselves.  Whatever you think you cannot accept, choose to avoid or "protest" about is actually inside you. Headlines echo the unconscious issues that cry out for your acceptance and conscious validation.

Dreams speak to us in a language of metaphors, symbols, images, and archetypes. These patterns we all recognize instinctively, as part of the collective mind. An example would be the idea of a good mother or an angel. Whether or not we had a good mother or ever saw an angel, we share common understanding that the mother of compassion who loves unconditionally and protects wholeheartedly does exist. This is an archetype. Although we all dream about different things, many patterns are universal. Dream images and events are not literal, but have archetypal resonance. Each dream aspect is unique to the dreamer but connects to the collective unconscious. It is here where insight and history of the universe is stored. We often access it during dreams.

The wings make reference to spiriituality. Humans are spiritual beings. We are comprised of both essence and matter. We take form as flesh and bone that encapsulates our purest self—the soul, our most authentic being. This part of us feels deep love and spontaneous joy. It is our elemental self lodged in trust and understanding. We were born into the world in this perfect and ethereal form and from that moment our humanness began to grow. As soon as we experienced pain, loss, or fear we began to develop the counterpart to the soul—our shadow. Our shadow consists of the qualities we repress, deny, or dislike in ourselves. It is the dark side of our personality. The shadow grows as we experience suffering and hardship in our human form. Each one of us is a hybrid blend of shadow and soul. We are both dark and light. Filled with fear and love. Brimming with confidence and saddled by doubt. We are a balance of what is seen and unseen.

In a woman, the soul is represented as masculine and the shadow is represented as feminine. The opposite is true for men whose soul is shown through a captivating, beautiful, and intriguing woman and whose shadow is portrayed as an ugly, destructive, violent or somehow undesirable man. When you are feeling connected, spiritual, your soul shows itself in. If it makes an appearance and leaves, this suggests you are distracted by or weighed down by your shadow. When we are overwrought with feelings of anger or fear, the shadow figure may dominate the dream space.  The multiple people living inside you are called personas.

 We offer Dream Consultations and dreamwork as part of our psychotherapy and coaching packages.  We also offer an Astral, Lucid & Dream Yoga Course.  Contact us for details.

Be the light unto yourself

Notice everyone has the innate ability to create something precious, meaningful. Deep down, Soul knows this and also perfect timing. So, when a cement block appears in our lives, we may initially assume its ugly rock or a metaphor for what prevents us from moving ahead, realizing potential. We may think Higher Self misunderstood our secret wish for freedom, joy, aliveness. Yet, sometimes an idea is too big to move or manifest instantly. The process is what unleashes us.

When we least expect it, the voice of a sculptor emerges from within us. This co- creator will not permit us to destroy what he says we asked for. We're about to have something valuable, wonderful in our midst. What part of us sees as a frustrating mental or physical block, the visionary sees very differently.

Turns out, as the confused mind patiently tolerates the sculptor, the mind slowly begins to understand. The sculptor didn't see a block of cement at all. He saw art! He proceeded to remove all of the cement that didn't belong around the art. The sculptor "saw" inside the rock. Something beautiful emerges in the block. With a flash of light, the sculptor transforms. He becames part of us, taking his place within attributes that make us whole. He is like a soul mate, a spiritual twin-flame, and a wise advisor to help us see the light within ourselves.

Curiously, we never ask the "separate" sculptor's name. It dawns, that is an aspect of true being. Not only do we receive the manifestation we wish for, but we also get an active wisdom guide. This is about expanding perception. Perhaps what is unseen is essential for true seeing, and what gets subtracted or let go from distorted reality is what allows for miracles. We are the light unto ourselves.

Right place, right time?

No doubt there have been times in your life when you felt as thought you were in the right place at the right time.  You may have won in weekly bingo or had that lucky numbers on a 50$ lottery ticket just when you needed the money.  You may have arrived at a bus stop just as the bus arrived so you didn't have to wait.  You may have been late for an important appointment and suprisingly got green lights almost all the way to your destination. Those good experiences are the ones you remember because circumstances seemed to unfold in your favor. The question is, did you have anything to do with it? Or was something beyond you influencing the outcome? Of course, you can believe what you choose to believe and your opinion may be right.

People always arrive in my life just when I need guidance.  Sometimes I attract assistance because I look like I need help, but it goes deeper than that.  One such occasion relates to a timely experience where my passport, money and identification were stolen during a visit to Estonia. I was supposed to be heading to Finland on a ferry that evening, but that departure wasn't meant to be. I was fortunate my employer was in his North American office when the small shop I was in permitted me to email. He was able to wire me some money for the next day. I reported the theft incident to police who arrived on the scene and returned to the hotel I'd stayed the night before. They still had my credit card info.

The next day, the informal Canadian mission told me to replace my Canadian passport would require 10 days. That would have to be ordered from Finland. I also had an Estonian passport however. After making my official statement at the local police station, partly though a translator, I decided to set out and try to find out how to replace that document in what might be a shorter wait time. 

Imagine my surprise that in asking directions every so often to ensure I was headed in the right direction. In speaking to a parking attendant, an older man drove up to pay for parking. He was perhaps the age of my grandfather. He knew of the government office I needed to visit and offered to take me there in his car. Me without a map, he estimated it would have been 2-3 hours away walking on foot. He only spoke Estonian and I did my best to explain my situation. I made the choice to get into his car. I learned he was a government consultant. With his assistance, I went through bureaucracy meant to take 14 days in less than 6 hours. This kindly stranger took me to where I could pick up the money that had been wired to me. He helped me to organize a job interview, told me where to go, and he picked me up later by car to take me to the ferry to Finland.

This man is an angel in disguise. He appeared out of nowhere.  I felt I could trust him. We only communicated in Estonian.  He told me he had a granddaughter my age and went out of his way to help me.  For a few years after that experience, I sent him Christmas cards.  He also sent me a letter. Then, he vanished. My mind echoes he may have died. My heart knows this soul is immortal and ever-present. In my life, he was definitely in the right place at the right time. He reminds me I am always in the right place to learn if I am receptive. His compassion is a mirror. I see that we each exist to make a difference in th lives of others.  When someone helps you, you are also helping that person, even if the how is unclear.

“When God puts love and compassion in your heart toward someone, He’s offering you an opportunity to make a difference in that person’s life. You must learn to follow that love. Don’t ignore it. Act on it. Somebody needs what you have.” -Joel Osteen