Hints for Dreamers, Part Two

How was your week of dreaming? I had a few fragments that I scribbled down. In one dream I cared for a baby giraffe! The need to protect this creature was incredibly strong. I chased away predators and watched over her as she left the protection of the trees to explore a more open space. After reading up on giraffe behavior, I feel that the dream has to do with risk taking. I feel vulnerable, and yet, I know that I must "stick my neck out." I am awed by this animal's presence in my dream. Where did she come from? Her message is both timely and encouraging. I am comforted by my psyche's ability to inform me of where I am at in my life. Even if it takes a giraffe!

I have a few more things to share with you. These last tips are rooted in something a little less "ordinary." They are meant to help you move deeper into your dreaming.

                      Additional Tools for Dream Work

• Make a dream pillow! Certain herbs are associated with dreaming -mugwort, lavender, and lemon balm. They can be purchased loose at most health food stores and placed in a small pouch or cloth bag. (I like to combine lavender with mugwort). Place this under your pillow at night. 
• Drinking a small cup of mugwort tea before bed can stimulate dream activity as well. It seems especially effective in connection with the new or full moon. I will warn you it has an earthy quality to it!Sweeten it with some honey. (Women who are pregnant or trying to get pregnant should avoid ingesting mugwort. I have not found it to have any adverse effect on my blood sugars, but this is my personal experience, and not medical advice.)
• Try placing a special stone or crystal under your pillow. Traditional dream stones include amethyst, clear quartz, herkimer diamond, optical calcite, and jade. These can be found at a local gem shop or new age store. Experiment. Add one or more of these to your dream pillow. Be sure to note in your journal any shifts in your dream activity or recall as a result.
• Tarot, oracle cards, and runes can be used to help understand a dream. When the meaning seems particularly difficult to access, a short reading may provide insight into the emotional symbolism. If you are comfortable with these tools, don't hesitate to incorporate them into your personal dream kit! 

In many ancient cultures, dreams were viewed as both sacred and necessary. It was not uncommon for women to travel to sacred sites such as caves, tree groves, and mountains with the intention of dreaming the answer to illness or suffering. In our modern world, we are far removed from this approach to healing work, yet our minds still seek to solve the riddles, to push to the forefront of consciousness, messages from our body, emotions, and deepest soul. Dream incubation is the term given to purposeful dream queries. It gives a deeper sense of the power inherent in our dream life. I hope you will feel comfortable exploring this layer of dream work, knowing that it can help rebuild trust in yourself, even after years of chronic illness or pain. Is there an important question in your life? An issue that does not seem to resolve itself easily? Drink the sacred tea. Place a stone beneath your pillow. Ask for a healing answer to come in your dreams. Keep asking through an entire moon cycle if you must. But know that it will come. Know that your own dreams are indeed sacred and necessary.

Let us never forget the dance
or lose the song
or cease to dream
 - Alma Luz Villanueva