Developing a Dreaming Practice

2. WORK WITH PLANTS

Bring plants into your dream work. The main way I do this is taking flower essences or tinctures before I go to bed at night. I created the Awake & Dream essence blend with flower and stone essences that support dream work. I also take a Mugwort tincture in combination with this blend every night before I go to bed. This has helped me have more vivid dreams and recall my dreams better.

Sometimes if you want to get to know a plant on a deeper level and receive its message, it helps to take drops of a tincture or flower essence before you go to bed. Even if the plant isn’t typically associated with dream work, this can open you to deepen your dream world and your relationship to that plant.

Earlier this year I was deepening my relationship with Meadowsweet and I took drops of this essence before I went to bed. The kinds of dreams I had taking Meadowsweet were different from what I typically experience using Awake & Dream.

You can also work with scents. My Awake & Dream blend is also available as a spritzer that you can spray on your pillow. Some people like to put essential oils in a diffuser, although my dog and I are a little too sensitive to this.

When you were a kid you might have had a little pouch of herbs like lavender or rosemary under your pillow to connect to plants in your dreams as well.

3. WRITE DOWN A QUESTION BEFORE YOU GO TO SLEEP.

In your dream journal, write a question that is on your mind. Ruminate on the question for a few minutes as you’re drifting off to sleep. When you wake up you have that question already written down. You’ll be surprised how often the dream that you remember will answer your question directly or symbolically.

I do this a lot for work when I have questions about how I should be focusing on my work or what I need to be aware of on my spiritual journey.

4. SHARE YOUR DREAMS WITH OTHERS, ASK FOR FEEDBACK, BUT ULTIMATELY RELY ON YOURSELF.

You have the best understanding of the symbols that appear in your dreams. Sometimes it can be helpful to ask people we trust how they perceive our dreams, but don’t take what people tell you as the gospel either. It’s your dream so there will be nuances around the meaning of symbols.

Interpret dreams yourself before seeking outside opinions from your friends and Google.

It can also be helpful to share your dreams with your therapist.

5. PRACTICE MEDITATION, JOURNEYING AND DAYDREAMING.

Connect into dreamtime and dream world during the day rather than only dreaming at night. Part of the reason this is so powerful is that it teaches you to speak in a symbolic language. It trains your mind that this symbolic dream language is valid and necessary to pay attention to, which makes your ability to recall your dreams better.

When I first started with dream work I was into lucid dreaming, but I found guided meditation or visualizations were even more powerful. I don’t always like to listen to someone else’s instructions. I prefer to listen to Theta Wave tracks meant for dreaming. Set a time for 15-20 minutes, whatever it takes to get yourself into a more relaxed state.

See where your mind goes, especially when you’re first getting started. You can be more structured, but initially you might like to envision yourself walking down a path or a set of a steps and allow your mind to lead you where you want to go when you are in a relaxed state of consciousness. We don’t always need to control the wheel.

I personally believe that dreams give us important messages for the work that we are meant to carry out on Earth. If you feel lost, confused or frustrated right now, seek answers in your dreams.