Dreaming is one of the most universal gifts that all humans share— although for some like myself I gather, it hasn’t always felt like a gift as it does now. Cross-culturally, dreams have been written as ‘direct communication from God or the divine’, whether that looks like prophecy, foresight, animal wisdom or ancestral guidance. In some of my bohemian ancestral traditions, ‘dream incubation’ was practiced, where the dreamer would sleep in a specific sacred place to receive detailed dream guidance (read more on my insane experience with this later). In some of my husband’s Yaqui ancestral traditions, the dreaming realm is a separate reality referred to as ‘Tenku Ania’. If a person received intuitive messages through their dreamwork, they were said to have the gift of being a ‘seataka dreamer’ and were looked to for sharing those gifts within their community. Clues in weather patterns, in guiding good health & offering a warning system in the face of danger would unite a community through the dreamer, elders and often an interpreter.
I’ve heard versions in our current culture speculate all people that appear in our dreams represent various parts of ourselves. It’s curious to me to consider dreams as solely centering the dreamer in this way. Others feel dreams are merely fantastical extensions of our waking life, never concretized, but merely symbols and clues to ponder the dichotomy of our inner and outer worlds. Perhaps for many, it’s a blend of all as truth or is a personal story to each dreamer.
What I gather, is that many peoples throughout history have interpreted meaning in a way to craft safety and security to move forward in waking life with great harmony, giving one (or all) clarity for their next move.
However that looks & feels for you, understanding how to work with your dreams, is a valuable life skill worthy of thought & investment.
For those that are familiar with my company Wildcare, you’ve probably heard me gently touch on my dreams over the last decade, and express that we’re ‘dream-led’ and how a handful of products have arrived through my visioning. For the first time, I’d like to go deeper and share the whole picture of my dreams and what that actually looks and feels like for me— from premonitions, to lucid dreaming, dreaming others’ dreams, dreaming of spiritual leaders and naming my gifts as a seer. This is a story I have barely touched the surface of with most friends and extended family and it feels important for me to arrive here today in courage & clarity as I inch closer towards my 40’s.
When you do get to the bottom, I’ve detailed my top 10 suggestions for cultivating a healthy relationship with dreaming, 38 years in the making!
Keep on reading and hold onto your hats…here we go…