The new movie Inception has sparked a lot of interest in dreams. Dreams can actually help plug you in to a deeper level of clarity about yourself. But sometimes dreams seem like they’re written in code that only the CIA could decipher. They're a lot like poetry in the sense that the language or imagery of dreams can be about metaphor, symbols for your life. Another view of dreams is that there is a type of medicine in the dream experience itself. There are a lot of ways to approach dreams and in my view, there is no right or wrong way. It's all about what works for you. Here are some simple ways to mine some of those riches and have a good time in the process.
First of all, you're going to need a dream, or fragment of it, or a feeling about it, or something that relates to it. (This also works if you don’t have a dream, but want to work creatively with a fantasy, image, or idea) So, keep a notebook or recorder of some kind by your bed. (I keep a notebook open with a pen uncapped and a small light)
Once you have the dream written down or recorded, figure out your favorite way to figure things out: are you a computer person? Visual? Pen and paper? Movement? You get the idea. Put on your dancing shoes or sit down at at your desk and try out some of these suggestions.
Now, work with the associations: Take a look at people and places. Did your awful Aunt Sissy show up in your office? Or worse, in your bed? How you feel about those people? The dream is working on those aspects of yourself that are like those people. (I know, yuck! It's called shadow work). Ask yourself why your "inner Aunt Sissy" is coming to talk to you now. What about your life lately reminds you of her? If you are the pen and paper type, write down everything about her. If you're a visual person, take out some paper–the bigger the better, and draw her. (Use your non-dominant hand so you don’t worry about how it looks) Same deal with places, objects, even feelings that come up in dreams.
Another technique looks at the dream in a similar structure as a play, with a beginning, middle, and end. The beginning tells you about what the problem is, the middle is how you been handling it, and the end tells you where the energy wants to go. It's a little harder to figure this out by yourself but it's easier with a trusted friend. (Word of caution: keep sacred space around your dream work–that is remember that you're talking about a very core, soulful part of yourself and share this information only with people who can receive it)
Or, you can approach the dream is through movement. Get some privacy, close your eyes, put yourself back into the dream and then move in whatever way you are called to do. This can evoke a lot of memory and feeling. You might get things that your "thinking mind" didn't know. Same is true for drawing, painting, sculpting, or writing that doesn't try to "get it right" or necessarily follow the strict storyline of the dream. These techniques just scratched the surface. There are tons of books and information out there on dreams. Life can really change when dreams become a part of your day.
Evelyn Stettin is a LA based artist and dreamworker. Her current project, "Box, Window, Door," blends dream workshops with theater.