When I teach of group of people how to work with their dreams, I ask each of them to remember a recent sleep dream to practice the process on.
“What if I don’t remember my dreams?” is a question that always comes up. Every time.
“Think of a recent waking dream you may have had,” is my response.
What is a waking dream? Well, a waking dream is something that happens to you in waking reality (i.e. when you are not asleep, meditating, doing trance work) that has the slightly surreal feeling of a sleep dream.
A waking dream is that experience of thinking of someone you haven’t seen or talked to in years and then running into them on the street. Or being alerted by your dog to the blue heron standing in the small stream next to your driveway and then watching him walk out of the stream to your driveway to stand at the edge of the road, look both ways and then cross before taking flight (really happened). Some experience out of the ordinary that has a resonance to it.
It’s those signs and synchronicities that happen and make us stop…for even just a few moments…and pay attention. And in that moment of awareness, of awakeness, a new understanding or insight is received that illuminates a challenge, affirms or confirms a decision or action, or provides the guidance necessary to keep moving forward.
Waking dreams are a great way to tune into your Divine connection, your Muse, when you have trouble remembering your sleep dreams.
While on a writing retreat, I had a waking dream that was affirming and confirming. A friend who is a writer spent a couple of days on retreat with me to work on her own writing projects. Since she is also well-versed and trained in astrology, we took time to look at our natal charts and solar return charts (a chart used to forecast the period from one birthday to the next) to see what was coming up in the next year and a half in relation to our writing and our careers.
Since we both have significant signs in Scorpio (the sign of sex, death and transformation), we discussed how this sign plays out in our work and lives. I am working on a novel whose central character is the Priestess of Death, and what was happening in the chart definitely spoke to what I was writing, especially as relates to the role of the psychopomp (one whose primary role is to conduct souls to the afterlife, but can also be a guide for life’s other transitions).
Shortly after that discussion, my friend left for home. Checking my email, I found one from Google+ and the subject line was: CHARON and MORPHEUS added you on Google+. I was stunned and amused at how the Muse was communicating with me.
Charon, in Greek mythology, is the ferryman responsible for carrying the souls of the newly dead across the river Styx into the realm of Hades or the Underworld. And you must pay him for his services. (My priestess escorts souls over into the Land of the Rivers.)
Morpheus is the god of dreams, and, according to some accounts, half-sibling to Charon. As you know, dreams are key to my work with clients and to my writing. In fact, it was a dream that inspired my novel.
Of course, I went to Google+ to find out just who this connection represented in waking reality, but I found no names, only a possible location in Denmark, and some artwork. Nothing else. But it didn’t matter. I got the message, one that affirms and confirms the direction of my writing and my work. So, to honor the dream, at the end of my writing retreat, I tossed a coin into the waters of the swiftly flowing stream on the grounds where I stayed. And you can bet that both the astrology discussion and the waking dream will stay with me for days and weeks, maybe even months to come, especially as I work on finishing my novel.
I hope you are paying attention to your waking dreams, those moments of signs and synchronicities. If you want to explore the signs and synchronicities of waking dreams, ask a question about your creative work. Then pay attention as you move through your day. Who or what crosses your path? What phrase, song title, or word is suddenly overheard and stands out? What poster on the subway, sign on the bus, ad on TV, or license plate on a car has an answer for you?
Then, as with all dreams, do something to honor your waking dream. Take action, no matter how small.
After all, if Charon and Morpheus are connecting with me on Google+, who knows what means the Muse will use to communicate with you!
I’d love to know what shows up for you.