Dreaming During a Pandemic

Now that I've shared some information about dreams and using a dream journal, I thought it might be useful to think about some ways to pay attention to dreams at this challenging time. As I previously mentioned, it's common to dream more vividly and more memorably during times of transition and stress. Many of us may be experiencing that now. And in this unprecedented time, we may be more interested in attending to our dreams.

 We've all heard plenty of messages about the possibilities for growth and change that our pandemic lockdown presents; I've sent some of them myself. I know that some people are  questioning how they can be more helpful, both now and when we return to a more normal life. Many say that they don't want to go back to living as they did before the pandemic, and I've heard from some who wonder if or how they can be the change they want to see. What next?, we ask.

If you are wrestling with questions like these, perhaps your dreams can inform you. While they can't predict the future directly, our dreams can help us discover hopes or new ideas we haven't yet brought to full consciousness. If we've been keeping a dream journal, sometimes we see it in retrospect: we decide to make a change, then go back to find hints of that change popping up in dreams even before we started consciously thinking about the decision.

 It makes sense to me that our dreaming mind would be more open and free floating than our conscious mind, so that in our dreams we might try on options or ideas that probably would never occur to us in waking life. Sort of like brainstorming without any limits. Have you ever gone to bed thinking about a problem, then awakened from a dream that helped you find the solution? That seems like a common example of our dreaming mind being freed up for creativity.

 It also points up a dream tool that might be helpful for you. In the post on dreams I mentioned setting a bedtime intention to remember dreams. You can also set an intention to have dreams. Particular ones, in fact. It's only crazy if it doesn't work, right? And I'm not the only person who can say with firsthand knowledge that it does. Not every time, and perhaps not right away; results vary. But if you develop a calm, consistent, and focused bedtime routine that includes a few minutes of dream intentions, you might be surprised at what happens.

 Here's a simple technique that might work well for you: after you switch off the light and get comfortably situated, spend a few minutes in slow, deep breathing as you turn your thoughts to the issue you want to address or the type of dream you'd like to have. It could be as specific as, "I want to dream about my dog," or as general as, "I'd like to dream about my future." Just let it be the last thing in your mind before you go to sleep, along with the intention to remember your dreams when you wake up. Then be sure to use your dream journal when you wake up to record any dreams that you have. As with any skill, the more you practice, the easier it will become to set your dream intentions and the more likely they are to bear fruit.


 We may surely have some disturbing dreams during this hard time  -- maybe even more than usual -- but we can also look to our dreams for solace, inspiration, and direction. Now is a time when we may be especially ready for that gift.

 Until tomorrow, stay safe and stay healthy. I wish you good dreams.

 Love,
Nancie/Mom/Mimi/Grandma

Comments

Carl C. Wamser said…
When this is over

How many times have we heard that?
What do you imagine?
It wasn’t a dream exactly.
It was one of those half-awake scenes
That rolls through your mind.
It’s the future, and I am an old man.
Well, an even older man.
A young child asks me
“What did you do in the Great Pandemic of 2020?”
I launch into my list:
“We did yoga every morning,
We took long walks,
I read a lot,
I started again to learn the piano,
I ... “
“No, I mean what did you do
To make things get better?”
Stunned silence.
Sudden awakening from the “dream.”
What will I answer then?
When this is over.
May 6, 2020 at 8:14 AM
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