The meaning and basis of our dreams is something that has been the subject of a great deal of speculation in the psychological community for years. Theories about dreams emerging to express unmanifested desires of our subconscious and dreams acting to allow us to process our experiences in a safe space abound, and many healers are finding that not only are dreams part and parcel of the subconscious processing of our desires and experiences, but they are also instrumental in helping us heal.
Our subconscious mind is at work even while our body rests, and in dreams, it has free reign. Studies have shown that after intense traumatic experiences, many people cease to dream, or are unable to remember their dreams. The next stage, that of troubling or frightening dreams, is actually a healthy step. These dreams, as unpleasant as they may be, are our brain’s way of processing the events that have taken place. Allowing yourself, either consciously or unconsciously, to process trauma is an important part of the healing process. Troubling dreams may also be our brain’s way of letting us know that we still need to address issues that we aren’t dealing with.
Remembering dreams is a skill to practice. One of the main reasons that so few people have frequent and detailed memories of their dreams is that their sleep is being unnaturally interrupted. If you are waking up to an alarm clock each day, your sleep cycle is not coming to its natural endpoint. Waking up on your body’s own time is one of the best ways to help yourself remember dreams. You may want to keep a pad of paper and a pencil within easy reach so that you can record your dreams before you get out of bed and get distracted. Many people find that they remember their dreams more clearly if they remain in the position they woke up from the dream in, so before you roll over to grab your pen and paper, run through the dream in your head, consciously forming a memory of the sequence of events. The next biggest reason is B6 deficiency, so eat more fish, beef, chicken, and avocados! And you can run labs with people like me to check those details.
Dreams are a beautiful opportunity to remember that slipping through the veils of realities or dimensions is real, and if you ask for answers and support, they WILL be given to you when you least expect it.
Here’s a helpful practice to try at home:
Start asking every night before you go to bed for the SOLUTION to the SAME problem to be revealed in your dreams. Keep a pen and paper handy. When you wake up, write down whatever you remembered in that dream. Do this for at least 7 nights to see if a solution is given to you.
