neptunesdolphins | Entries tagged with dreams

Because of my brain injury, I was leery of lucid dreaming. The idea of knowing that I am in a dream while dreaming was beyond my normal understanding. My problem with lucid dreaming was that while awake, I am prone to going into fugue states. Reality can be a problem for me to parse out, and I believed that lucid dreams would confuse me more.

After researching lucid dreaming, I discovered that I do have them. I have what I call “brain dreams.” In these dreams, I am in a big room, which is a library with four beds. There I would meet my three other selves, and we would decide which of the beds to sit on. After taking a book off one of the shelves, each one of us would take turns reading it to the others. Since my traumatic brain injury, I have four selves, each of which represents one of the lobes of the brain. (Note 1.) In the dream, the selves decide which lobe needs healing at that time. They direct the reading to excite the lobe into working. (Note 2)

Another set of dreams that I would have frequently involved flying about in a black void. This void is a place of stillness and contemplation. Clare Johnson in “The Art of Lucid Dreaming” describes this black space, “The Lucid Void,” which she defines as the gap between dreams. Johnson says that the Void is the birthplace of dreams.

For me, the simplest way to enter the Void is by deciding to go. I would affirm that I wanted to go there, and off I go. Eventually, I mapped a part of the Void by bouncing from each pinprick of light. I discovered I was dancing on Indra’s Net (the Jewel Net of Indra). (Note 3) I experienced the Net as a vast network of jewels at each node of interlocking threads. Each jewel is reflected in all of the other jewels forming cosmic reality. For me, I feel immense joy simply being there.

Another place that I go in my lucid dreams is the Tree of Life. I have a magic acorn that the Squirrels gave me (in another dream). When I want to go the Tree, I would hold the acorn and say “Squirrel.” The Tree, itself, glows and shimmers in gold and silver. A lot of little animals live in and around the Tree. When I arrive, the squirrels would greet me and off we go.

One thing that I noticed is that my lucid dreams follow the phases of the Moon. Oberon Zell-Ravenheart in “The Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard” explains why. The Moon, he says is the Mistress of Dreams. Because of this, the best time to have lucid dreams is the Waxing Gibbous Moon. I have found this to be true.

Meanwhile, Andrew Holecek in “The Lucid Dreaming Workbook” stresses sleep hygiene for successful lucid dreaming. He says that a calm transition from day to night is necessary. (A part of this is paying attention to the body’s circadian rhythms.) For lucid dreaming to occur, a bridge between wakefulness and sleep needs to be built. Holecek suggests saying slowly, “I am dreaming, I am dreaming…..” I tell myself as I drift off is “I enjoy lucid dreams.”

Holecek cautions about being conflicted about lucid dreaming. For example, he says ignore the inner voice that says it is a waste of time. To combat this voice, I tell myself it is for the brain. To be successful at lucid dreaming, note any self-talk of “I just can’t do it.” I find this to be true. If I have any doubts about being able to dream lucidly, I cannot do it.

Notes:
Note 1. The frontal lobe is where the executive functions occur. The parietal lobe integrates sensory information. The temporal lobe processes the sensory information and memory. The occipital lobe is for visual processing. I have damage on all of the lobes.

Note 2. Lucid dreaming can be regarded as a form of neuroplasticity. The Max Planck Institute of Human Development found evidence that the brains of lucid dreamers have more grey matter. I interpret this to mean that lucid dreaming is healthy for a recovering brain. In my dream, the selves reading to each other is either rewiring or laying down new neural circuitry.

Note 3. From Mahayana Buddhism. “Indra’s Jewel” is a metaphor for “the interbeing of all things.”

Works Used:
Holecek, Andrew, “The Lucid Dreaming Workbook.” New Harbinger Publications: Oakland (CA). 2020.
Johnson, Clare, “The Art of Lucid Dreaming.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2020.
… “The Art of Transforming Nightmares.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2021.
Larsen, Stephen and Tom Verner, “The Transformational Power of Dreaming.” Inner Traditions: Rochester (VT). 2017.
Sowton, Christopher, “Dreamworking.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2017.
Zell-Ravenheart, Oberon, “Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard.” New Page Books: Franklin Lakes (NJ). 2004.

Current Mood: surprised
Current Location: outside watching squirrels

If a person simply does not want to have nightmares, I would suggest a variety of methods for preventing them, since nightmares come in different ways. First, I would tell them, my bedtime routine for having good dreams. I say prayers to the Gods of Sleep and to the Gods of the Day and Night. Then I meditate with my prayer beads. After spraying myself with lavender (Note 1.), I fluff up my pillow and go to sleep. (Note 2.)

I learned that blackthorn can be put in a bag and placed by my bed for protection. I slept for months with blackthorn on my night stand and only once did I have a dream out of the ordinary. A friend of mine had died and came to say goodbye. (I had not learned of her death until later.)

One thing that I happened upon was dream pouches. The Heaven And Earth Company, which specializes in crystals, featured different pouches for sweet dreams or well-being. Inspired, I made my own with Rose Quartz, a calming stone of divine love. Another crystal I used was Aqua Lemuria from Indonesia. Besides being a good balancer of auras, Aqua Lemuria puts forth unconditional love that surrounds me. Both fill me with love as I sleep.

Clare Johnson (Phd) in “The Art of Transforming Nightmares,” suggests doing something similar to what the Japanese do. (Note 3.) She counsels inviting a helper animal into your nightmare. Ask the animal to stop the fearful thing from occurring. For me, I have found that simply having the iguana in the bed prevents many nightmares.

Notes

Note 1. A person could use patchouli as well.

Note 2. Remember to stop watching the news at least two hours before bedtime. Be selective in media consumption, in general.

Note 3. According to the Japanese, the Baku was created by the Gods from the leftover pieces used to create animals. (A Baku looks like a cross between an elephant and a tapir.) A person experiencing a nightmare, would say three times, “Baku-san, come eat my dream.” A person has to be careful since a very hungry Baku will devour their hopes as well.

Works Used:

Bynum, Edward, “The Dreamlife of Families: The Psychospiritual Connection.” Inner Traditions: Rochester (VT). 2017.

Chamberlain, Basil, “Japanese Things.” Charles Tuttle: Tokyo. 1971.

Ellison, Robert, “Ogham: The Secret Language of the Druids.” ADF Publishing: Tucson (AZ). 2007.

Heaven and Earth LLC. Metaphysical Minerals and Jewelry. Web. 2021. https://heavenandearthjewelry.com/index.aspx.

Johnson, Clare, “The Art of Lucid Dreaming.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2020.

… “The Art of Transforming Nightmares.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2021.

Larsen, Stephen and Tom Verner, “The Transformational Power of Dreaming.” Inner Traditions: Rochester (VT). 2017.

Ridall, Kathryn, “Dreaming at the Gates.” DreamGate: Ventura (CA). 2019.

Sowton, Christopher, “Dreamworking.” Llewellyn: Woodbury (MN). 2017.

Current Mood: sleepy
Current Location: in my bed

Before I can discuss nightmares, I need to first distinguish them from night terrors. Dr. Edward Bynum in “Dreamlife of Families: The Psychospiritual Connection” writes that night terrors involve screaming and sleep walking. Neurological in nature, they are usually treated by medication. In contrast, Bynum states that nightmares are a reflection of a family’s (or individual’s) unconscious pattern of relationships and conflicts. Nightmares are unpleasant but they do not entail medical intervention.

Dr. Christopher Sowtan (ND) in “Dreamworking” contends that nightmares occur when people do not do their shadow work. He regards nightmares as the unacknowledged Shadow, that intrudes into people’s waking consciousness. Once the Shadow is dealt with, the nightmare will cease. (Note 1.)

My husband has night terrors. I have been advised to soothe and coax him back to sleep. To do that, I borrowed a custom from the Japanese. They would ask the Baku to eat their nightmares. (Note 2.) I have a stuffed iguana, about the size of a small child, that I keep in bed with us. I would lay the stuffed reptile on him and say, “The iguana is going for help. Let the iguana take over.” It calms him down at the moment.

For me, nightmares fill in the gaps of waking experiences. They form a part of our reality as well as reveal what is hidden. Dreams including nightmares allow people to access knowledge that lies beyond everyday reality. Therefore, I seek methods that involve transforming or containing the nightmares, instead of simply preventing them.

If someone asked me for help with a nightmare, I would advise them to treat their nightmares as honored guests. The nightmare is there to help the person. The poet Rumi writes, “The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.” He continues, “Be grateful for whatever comes because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.” (Note 3.) The key would be to delve into the nightmare.

To transform a nightmare, Dr. Sowton suggests sorting nightmares into types. Then work with the category that is the most prevalent. Focus on what it is, and what it is trying to tell you. I had nightmares of being stuck with needles and pins. I interpreted them to be introjects into my psyche from other people. After taking steps to reassess the people I associated with, the needles began to push out. As I broke off harmful relationships, the needles and pins expelled themselves. Then, I stopped having these sorts of nightmares.

Another method that I use to transform a nightmare is what Stephen Larsen and Tom Verner suggests in “The Transformational Power of Dreams.” They refer to their method as “The Coffee (Sanka) Approach.” Talk to the nightmare as if you are sitting across it, drinking coffee. Look the nightmare in the eye, and tell it, “Hey! This is MY dream! Tell what you want or leave or else.” Usually that will transform the dream or at least give answers as to why the nightmare is happening. I have had good results with this method.

Notes

Note 1. I see nightmares as oracles to be pondered.

Note 2. According to the Japanese, the Baku was created by the Gods from the leftover pieces used to create animals. (A Baku looks like a cross between an elephant and a tapir.) A person experiencing a nightmare, would say three times, “Baku-san, come eat my dream.” A person has to be careful since a very hungry Baku will devour their hopes as well.

Note 3. As quoted by Kathryn Ridall, “Dreaming at the Gates.”