Any healer or seer will tell you that one of the things we get most asked about are dreams. People have been fascinated with dreams and their meanings since time immemorial. The sub conscious, collective consciousness and dreams have fascinated not only Western psychologists but the world over.
Of course, every culture has its own symbolism, representations, beliefs and understanding of dreams and the dream world, yet, its fair to say that for many humans; dreams and dreaming matters.
Importantly, dreams and dreaming are also hugely influenced by our socio-cultural context, individual and collective meaning-making, geographic placement and the time-period we live in.
Dreams differ from culture to culture and person to person. It isn't reasonable to expect one thing to mean the same thing for everyone.
This is why when someone DM's me, Gogo, I dreamed this....what does it mean? And, I've never met them or done a reading for them before; its challenging to properly answer. The meanings of dreams and dream interpretation is multi-faceted and requires skillfulness. It wasn't long ago that people specializing in dream interpretation held prized positions in society.
Dreams are influenced not just by your socio-cultural beliefs, background and worldview but are also influenced by your ancestors--lineal, embodied and those that walk/work with you.
This is why to properly interpret and explain a dream and provide direction and clarity; attentive consideration is required. As a healer, I rely on other ways of seeing, feeling, knowing, understanding and experiencing to access you, your path, those that walk with you, as well as to unpack the messaging you are receiving, here and now.
Dreams are our interconnectors. They show us what we may not be seeing clearly in our waking hours.
They educate, clarify and inform us. "I knew he was going to cheat on me, I dreamed it!", "I knew my sister would fall pregnant because I dreamed about it 3-months ago!"
Whether they are prophetic dreams, warning dreams, the surfacing of old pain or trauma, or dreams asking for direct action in terms of rituals and ceremonies, or, simply to quit a job or leave a relationship; your attention is needed! Dreams are your friend, so value the knowledge, direction and revealing's that are being gifted to you.
Here are some other key things to consider about dreams and dreaming:
1. Are you having nightmares or unpleasant dreams?
Are you feeling anxious, panicked or afraid? If so, check out my video Help for anxiety during COVID).
Could unresolved experiences or pain be surfacing for you right now? It may be useful to find a healthy way to process this in your wakened time. For example, talking to a trusted counsellor or healer, journaling, engaging in expressive and body-aware practices such as: painting, drawing, dancing etc.
You could also be foreseeing a future event, or, if you have healing gifts, you may be experiencing a pain or trauma that someone else is going through in real-time. Because we are so innately interconnected and affected and effected by a plethora of worldwide challenges and injustices; it makes sense that disturbing dreams will occur in our sleeping hours at this time. There is a lot of "mixed-bag" energies milling around. I highly recommend cleansing and clearing up as well as taking the time to energetically, spiritually, psychologically, emotionally and physically ground and protect yourself.
Check out, How to Spiritually Protect Yourself.
2. Is someone who has passed showing up in your dreams?
If so, they may be asking to be seen and tended to. If you keep dreaming about your father who died five years ago, what needs to be taken care of there? Are there unresolved feelings and issues? Are there funerary rights outstanding? What is being communicated to you and why might this be the case? These are good questions to begin asking yourself. As well as noting if the person was speaking directly to you, ignoring you etc. This is important.
3. Nature-based dreams.
Do you keep dreaming about water? Going to the forest? Is it a place from your childhood or somewhere you've never been? I'm not a huge fan of Freud, but I do like, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar". Is it possible that you are meant to return to this natural place, or find this place? Are you meant to pray there, swim there, walk there...be there?
4. Animals in dreams.
We may continually dream about owls, or, if we are called to be a healer and haven't answered the calling--or are in the early stages of addressing the calling, dream of being attacked by an animal i.e. a dog, wolf, snake etc.
Animals are important in dreams. They can be totems tied in with personal clans, tribes etc. They can also represent specific ancestors, energies and spirits and can also be warning, helping, protective, or transmitting their gifts and powers to us. Animals are often messengers in dreams.
It isn't just about the animal you are dreaming about but its colouring, activity and placement in the dream and how you are interrelating with it.
When I was a healing student I dreamed of docile brown snakes in my home, sleeping peacefully in my healing space. This, I was told by my teacher, represented the ancestors and the healing gifting that would be in my home soon. Before that I dreamed of being attacked by a particular snake. At the time I didn't realize it but the dream was showing me that I was being called to heal and would be "hounded" until I heeded to my specific calling. As well as that I needed to protect myself from harmful intentions.
Remember, different animals mean different things in different cultures.
Dreams expose worlds within worlds, which all of us visit and meander through in waking and sleeping times.
Through dreaming we escape the perceived limits and boundaries of our world and minds to access greater ways of knowing, feeling and understanding. Dreaming is an opportunity to better understand ourselves, our lives, our paths, purpose and even others.
5. Dreaming for/about others.
Have you ever had a dream that felt like it was happening to you, and yet, the content and context seemed to be about someone else's experience? In this case, you may
a. be dreaming of an experience that an ancestor had before your time
b. you may be accessing someone else's current experience, or,
c. you may be accessing past, present or future events and experiences.
Dreaming of others in this way, or on behalf of others is important because this may reveal that you are deeply empathic and/or have healing abilities.
6. Don't underestimate dreams and dreaming. They can show you a way forward in all matters of your life--if you are willing and attuned.
Dream journals are good but it's even better to work with a knowledgeable elder, dream interpreter and/or healer who can help direct and guide you. This is particularly important if you are called to heal or have trained as a healer as dreams will dictate--to you and your mentor--your spiritual and ancestral needs as well as what is required and how best to proceed.
7. Vividness in dreams.
The intensity and hue of dreams varies. If a dream feels like it was "real" or that, "it happened"; be particularly attentive to it. This can indicate a relived past life experience, an experience of a passed-on family member, or even an experience you are having in another dimension.
Its possible to travel in your sleep and to experience things outside of your daily life, and if you're a healer, to actually "work on" or heal someone who is known or unknown to you.
8. What you don't see when you're awake
May show up in your dreams. Maybe you've dreamed your boyfriend is cheating on you, or that someone is using harmful traditional medicine/energies against you, it could be that your boss is speaking ill of you, or on a more positive note, that your fiancé plans to propose; maybe a trip lays ahead or another positive outcome occurs in your dreams.
Dreams and dreaming allows for both an expanded view of things, as well as an intricate unfolding of matters too. Pay attention, trust yourself and what your dreams are showing you.
9. If you don't remember your dreams.
Its important to examine why that is. Is it because of medication you are taking? Smoking cannabis regularly can affect remembering dreams too. Maybe you don't sleep enough. Maybe your lifestyle isn't conducive to receiving clear dreams i.e. too much partying. Maybe you need to clean up and clear out as to receive guidance and direction? This should involve the socio-cultural practices that are in alignment with your belief systems and ancestral connections. We have a role to play in remembering and cultivating our dreams. We have to hold up our end of the so-called bargain, otherwise, we may not receive the gifts that the dream world has to offer.
It may also be possible that you aren't dreaming or remembering your dreams because you are experiencing excessive stress, worry, anxiety and or other mental health issues. This can affect our ability to dream as well as the quality of our dreams.
Seeking guidance from a trust-worthy healer or healthcare practitioner is advised. Also, check out Help for Anxiety During COVID: A Whole-Being Perspective.
10. Dreams and dreaming is intensified at this time.
It isn't just because of the various societal afflictions we are dealing with individually and collectively that we are so stressed, but also because we as humans are being required to radically transform not just for our own sake, the sake of our species and other species but the planet herself! Our ancestral helpers and other caring forces are increasingly apparent right now.
Messages, visions and clear directions are being conveyed at a radical pace right now, especially for empaths, healers and helpers. It may feel difficult to keep up!
It is essential to pay close attention and to seek to understand what you are being shown and possibly asked to do for yourself and others at this time.
I could write ten blog posts about dreams and dreaming! I've addressed just some key elements here. If there is something you would like me to speak about, drop a comment below.
CHECK OUT MY IG Live ~ Dreams & Dream Interpretation Q&A.
Watch out for a new ancestral message about Dreaming and the Healer
Check out a previous ancestral message: Dreams are your Interconnector.
PLEASE, don't just drop me a DM asking for dream interpretation, if you want help and support with dreaming medicine and dream interpretation book a session. You owe yourself and your ancestors that attention and care.
Thokozani,
#Gogo_Nomadlozi, aka Rebecca Rogerson
©Rebecca Rogerson, 2021
Comentarios