When Last I Dreamed: Creating Dances from Dreams

1 Vol. 23 No. 1/Dream Network

Vol. 23 No. 1 $7.00 USA/$8.50 Canada

Since 1982

Dancing the Dream Awake

Dream Network/Vol. 23 No. 1 2


Accessingthe Akashic

RecordsI am in a small room and there are many shelves full of books.There is a lot of dust and a strong feeling of both extreme age

and importance. I am lucid. I know who I am and that I am in adream state. I don't know where in creation this room is locatedbut it comes to my mind that it is in a "crucial part of reality."

I feel that it is essential to be lucid in order to beÊHEREbut, because of it, some sort of "scales" are tipped so that I cur-rently exist more here than the usual plane of existence. It sud-denly strikes me consciously that these books before me contain

the sum of knowledge and experience. Not just the human, but ‘ALL.’They answer the questions of life. I know that to read them would give me total understand-ing, but I also have a foreboding that if I pick up and begin reading just one book that it will

draw me completely to this plane—this place—and I will never be able to return.ÊMy choiceisÊabsolute knowledge at my fingertips, requiring that I give up life as I know it... or to return

to my "normal" plane and struggle to increase my knowledge and awarenesswith my limited human senses. I feel I cannot yet give up my family and my need

forÊfamiliarityÊon this plane and the choice is made. I awaken in a small room and my mom isthere. I excitedly tell her about my dream and how real it was. Suddenly I notice unusual

aspects in my surroundings and I realizeÊthat I am still dreaming!

The realization shocks me awake for real this time and I complete this experience by calling mymother on the phone and telling her about it.

I hope to be given this choice again sometime when I'm ready.I've often wondered if this was a glimpse of the one given all of us, eventually, inevitably.


©2004Dream Network

ISSN #1054-6707Spring-Vol. 23 No. 1 ©2004

1337 Powerhouse Lane, Ste 22PO Box 1026

Moab, UT 84532-1026Phone: 435/259-5936

[email protected]

FounderWilliam R. Stimson, Ph.D.

Council of AdvisorsStanley Krippner, Ph.D.

Russell A. Lockhart, Ph. D.Robert Moss, M. A.

Graywolf/Fred Swinney, M. A.Rosemary WattsNoreen Wessling

Editor/PublisherH. Roberta Ossana, M.A.

Front Cover: Dream Dance Photo by Dr. Randy Elkins

Review EditorsApril Chase email: [email protected]

Vicki Vlach email: [email protected]

Copy Editor & Proofreader Lorraine Grassano

Advertising 435/259-5936 Email:

[email protected] Box 1026, Moab, UT 84532

Contributing Artists, Authors & PoetsCharles De Beer

Jeanne ElkinsDeborah Koff-Chapin, M.A.Chris & Lorraine Grassano

Marlene King, M.A.Shari O’Brien

David SparenbergRosemary WattsNoreen Wessling

Vicky VlachGilbert Williams

Editorial AssistanceCaroline Mackie

Lyn Shafer

Our purpose is to raise individual and cultural apprecia-tion for the value of dreams and to disseminate informationthat will assist and empower us in taking responsibility for ourcultural, emotional and spiritual well-being with the help ofdreams & mythology. Our goals are to unite and serve thosewho respect dreams, to empower dreamers in demystifyingdreamwork and to assist with the integration of dreamsharinginto our culture, in whatever ways of integrity are shown andgiven us.

We believe that dreams are agents for change and oftenreveal important new insights about the life of the dreamer,both personal and cultural. Recalling a dream is a signal thatwe are ready to understand the information that has beenpresented. Enacting the dream's hint can bring personal em-powerment.

We seek to provide a balance and to give all nations, voicesand schools of thought an opportunity to be heard.

There will be times when a particular area of interest will begiven greater emphasis than another because of the limitedspace in the Journal and that which is surfacing that is ofinterest to the readership.

The emphasis will change over time to allow for a widerange of opinions and areas of interest to be explored andexpressed.

You are welcome and invited to indicate areas of interestand questions you would like to see explored in future issues.

Statement of Purpose

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Make checks payable to: Dream Network1337 Powerhouse Lane, Suite #22, PO Box 1026, Moab, UT 84532 or phone 1-435-259-5936 Visa, MC & AmEx Subscriptions, only.

Please Xerox


Dreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s Path

3 Accessing the Akashic Records

The Many Ways of Working with DreamsThe Many Ways of Working with DreamsThe Many Ways of Working with DreamsThe Many Ways of Working with DreamsThe Many Ways of Working with Dreams11 When Last I Dreamed:

Creating Dances from Dreamsby Jeanne Schul Elkins

14 Deer Mother LoveDream Theatre with Robert Moss

by Noreen Wessling

17 Oh Deer!A Dream of Cooperative Healing

by Elizabeth Howard, M.A.

18 The Role of Group Dynamics in Facilitating Dream Groups

by Christina Robertson

22 Freeing the Authentic Self& Pitfalls to Avoid in the Group Process

An Interview with John Goldhammerby Victoria Vlach

28 The Dialogue of Becoming HumanExcerpts from a Novel-in-Progress

by David Sparenberg

32 Dreaming for Othersby Carol Oschmann

38 Therapeutic Dreamwork: A Case Study with Mythic Dimensions Part I

by Greg Bogart, Ph.D.

The Art of Dreamsharing & Dream EducationThe Art of Dreamsharing & Dream EducationThe Art of Dreamsharing & Dream EducationThe Art of Dreamsharing & Dream EducationThe Art of Dreamsharing & Dream Education34 Awakening Personal Meanings with

Symbol Phrases, Systems Effects, and Moreby Evelyn M. Duesbury and E. Bruce Bynum

Dream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired Poetry 26 Through Walls of Glass by Deborah Hillman

Sea of Dreams by Shari O’Brien FeaturesFeaturesFeaturesFeaturesFeatures 6, 7-9 Editorial, Letters 44 DreamTimes: Through the Veil by Marlene King 47-50 Networkers/Dream Groups/Classified

Upcoming Focus Upcoming Focus Upcoming Focus Upcoming Focus Upcoming Focus

for Volume 23 No. 2

The Many Ways of

Working with Dreams

Part II

Table of Contents

Lifeline: 4 Weeksafter you receive

this issue.

About Our Coverand Feature Article

All photographs submitted for ourcover and feature article—When I LastDreamed: Creating Dances from Dreams(p.10-13)—are of the Berry College DanceTroupe, for which Jeanne Schul Elkins isArtistic Director. Cover photo credit andpictures for the article were all taken byChris Love.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈ The credits for the “When Last I Danced”pictures include:

* Choreography: Jeanne Schul Elkins* Costume Designer: Alice Bristow* Scenic Designer: Christian Boy* Lighting Designer: John Dolphin* Dancers for Cover Image of Pilgrimage:Elizabeth Bagwell, Meredith Bricker, GreerSmith, and Justin Wallace.* Dancers for the ending pose of Pilgrim-age: Elizabeth Bagwell, Meredith Bricker,Samuel Bulow, Janie Hitchcock, Scott Knepp,Chandra Palubiak, Dayna Rickett, GreerSmith, Justin Wallace and Kristi Zimmerman.


EditorialEditorial

♥ ♥ ↔↔ ♥♥

The Tide is Turning

My dreambody swims many bodies of water

All kinds perceivable:

Streams, creeks, ponds, lakes, rivers,

It seems unbelievable.

There is a conscious knowing in my being as I play,

“Oh, yes, I know... I know water’s ways:”

Its twisting and turning, its swellings and yearnings;

In stillness, reflection; in action, projection,

Its anger, its falls; the voices, its walls;

Its whirlpools.... unpredict-ability;

Its substance: spirituality...

I do know water’s ways and how to interact, fearlessly.

In this moment of knowing, I’m inside a huge ocean wave

New Wave, cresting, curling

Have the honor of standing on its floor as its merging

A circular enormous proud moving hall

of turquoise, lavender, blue, creamy pearl.

I revel in seeing this warm womb-bright sight!

(At one point I stand with my ‘back to the wall,’

Huge gushes of water may sweep me away!

One wrong move... and that’s all!

It’s a good thing,—A Good Thing—I know how to play.)

Before it collapses, I plunge into its heart

to surface behind it and watch it depart... as waves do on the sand...

.... when WHAT is this wonder my eyes now behold?

This wave’s bending, turning right back. This is bold!

It isn’t caressing and teasing the land (are you glancing?)

But doing wave upon wave of water-swirl dancing!

Perplexed, I awaken, a song in my Being

A mantra... a rhythm... not ending... repeating...

; The Tide is Turning The Tide is Turning The Tide is Turning

In tune with the times and in harmony with our focus for this issue,I would like to share with you one of my most important dreams,

rendered poetically. One of ‘The Many Ways of Working with Dreams.’

May it be so. Love to you! Roberta O


WWWWWhat a splendid magazine—firsttime I’ve seen it! Almost every ar-ticle and letter in Vol. 22 No. 4 hitthe spot. Great information and lotsof happy synchronicities. Like for in-stance Dana Redfield’s letter abouta sky full of ships, the wonderfullywritten piece by Andrew Ramer,“Dreaming of Aliens.’ I knew Andrewback in the 1980’s when we wrote abook together and I can guaranteethat he is one remarkable old alien,when he’s not being an angel, or adove-like spiritual master. I hope oneday he will get to tell the whole ofhis story.

God Bless the Goddess, the mag-nificent Rainbow Serpent, the FallenMother, Dark Matter and ALL whosail in the air. With Love and Bless-ings,

Timothy Wyllie, Mountainair, NM(Timothy’s letter was sent on a

card displaying his own artwork: ASky Full of Ships! Ed.)

Letters Letters ♥ ♥ ↔↔ ♥♥

Comments on Vol 22 No.4Comments on Vol 22 No.4Comments on Vol 22 No.4Comments on Vol 22 No.4Comments on Vol 22 No.4Dreaming with ETsDreaming with ETsDreaming with ETsDreaming with ETsDreaming with ETs

AAAAAs always, your 22/4 was VERYinteresting and gave food forthought.

I have a few suggestions for someof your correspondents, if you deemthem worthy to be passed on:1) re your Editorial, I believe thatloved ones in dreams may well be visi-tations, but I am much more inclinedto see them as personifications of‘The Higher Self,’ the God Within2) UFO’s, IF they are extraneous tothe one viewing them (and, oncemore, not an emanationÊfrom theviewer’s “self”) are, I am sure, in myown mind, benevolent.3) Dana Redfield, on page 7, is—tomy mind—correct in surmising thatthe whole world is being prepared fora shift in consciousness.4) Jay Atilares, on page 8, will hope-fully meanwhile have made contactwith Leiah Bowden,. I certainly rec-ommend that she does so.5) As regards Teresa Vattieri, onpage 9, I believe that all these dreammessages from various sources aremeant to prepare her, not for aphysical ‘beau,’ but for meeting upwith her Higher Self, her God-Within, an event SHE has to prepareherself for,Ênot by sitting and wait-ing passively and negatively for ‘Him’to materialize physically, but activelyin her heart, spiritually, as there thereal nuptials will (should) take place.

Maybe I sound ‘Holier than thou’,but these are my thoughts.

Much love,Charles de Beer,

Umtemtweni, South Africa ≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

I I I I I just received the magazine andyou did a great job. Also,Êgreat coverart.ÊThanks!

I love the elephants. Thanks verymuch for running the story. I reallyappreciate it!

John D. Goldhammer, Seattle, WA

(Dr. Krippner—one of my highly re-garded and deeply valued advisors—gave permission to share his welldeserved award. Congratulations,Stanley! Editor)

Dr. Stanley Krippner, PhDSaybrook Graduate School and Re-search Center450 Pacific Avenue, 3rd FloorSan Francisco, CA 94133-4640Fax: 415-433-9271

Dear Stan,

On behalf of Common Bond In-stitute, HARMONY Institute, theAssociation for Humanistic Psychol-ogy, and the Annual InternationalConference on Conflict Resolution, itis my great pleasure to inform youthat you have been selected to re-ceive the 2003 Ashley MontaguPeace Award, which will be presentedat this year’s 11th Annual Interna-tional Conference on Conflict Reso-lution (ICR) in St. Petersburg, Rus-sia.

Established in 1995, the AshleyMontagu Peace Award is regularlypresented at the Annual ICR Confer-ence to recognize and honor individu-als whose life work has distinguishedthem in contributing to an interna-tional culture of peace and under-standing.

Spanning many years and manycountries, your life work in interna-tional psychology certainly exempli-fies the kind of day to day commit-ment to ‘the long run’ and a deep,lasting contribution to grassrootspeace, reconciliation, and healing ef-forts that the Ashley MontaguePeace Award was established to paytribute to.

We are pleased to honor you andyour remarkable contribution in thisway, and look forward to formallyrecognizing you at a plenary sessionof this year’s Annual InternationalConference on Conflict Resolution inSt. Petersburg.

Sincerely,Steve Olweean, DirectorConference Coordinator Common Bond Institute

Dream Network: Splendid!Dream Network: Splendid!Dream Network: Splendid!Dream Network: Splendid!Dream Network: Splendid!

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Change Your World!Change Your World!Change Your World!Change Your World!Change Your World!WWWWWhoever transmitted this

translated message to you isirrelevant, and should remain anon-ymous in your mind. It is what youwill do with this message thatmatters.

Each one of you wishes toexercise her/his free will andexperience happiness. These areattributes that were shown to us andto which we now have access. Yourfree will depends upon the knowledgeyou have of your own power. Yourhappiness depends upon the love thatyou give and receive.

Who are we ?Who are we ?Who are we ?Who are we ?Who are we ?Neither your scientists nor your

religious representatives speakunanimously about the unexplainedcelestial events that mankind haswitnessed for thousands of years. Toknow the truth, one must face itwithout the filter of one’s beliefs,however respectable they may be.

A growing number of anonymous


researchers of yours are exploringnew knowledge paths and are gettingvery close to reality. Today, yourcivilization is flooded with an oceanof information of which only a tinypart, the less upsetting one, isnotably diffused.

What in your history seemedridiculous or improbable has oftenbecome possible, then realized, inparticular in the last fifty years. Beaware that the future will be evenmore surprising. You will discover theworst as well as the best.

Like billions of others in thisgalaxy, we are conscious creaturesthat some name “extraterrestrials”,even though reality is subtler.

There is no fundamentaldifference between you and us, savefor the experience of certain stagesof evolution. Like in any otherorganized structure, hierarchyexists in our internal relationships.Ours is based upon the wisdom ofseveral races. It is with the approvalof this hierarchy that we turn to you.

Like most of you, we are in thequest of the Supreme Being.Therefore, we are not gods or lessergods but virtually your equals in theCosmic Brotherhood.

Physically, we are somewhatdifferent from you, but for most ofus humanoid-shaped.

Our existence is a reality but themajority of you do not perceive ityet. We are not mere observations,we are consciences just like you. Youfail to be aware of us because weremain invisible to your senses andmeasure instruments most of thetime.

We wish to fill this void at thismoment in your history. We madethis collective decision but this is notenough. We need yours. Through thismessage, you become the decision-makers! You personally. We have nohuman representative on Earth whocould guide your decision.

What can we offer?What can we offer?What can we offer?What can we offer?What can we offer?We can offer you a more holistic

vision of the universe and of life,constructive interactions, theexperience of fair and fraternalrelationships, liberating technical

knowledge, eradication of suffering,controlled exercise of individualpowers, the access to new forms ofenergy and, finally, a better compre-hension of consciousness.

We cannot help you overcomeyour individual and collective fears,or bring you laws that you would nothave chosen. You must work on yourown selves, and make a collectiveeffort to build the world you desire.

What is the question we askWhat is the question we askWhat is the question we askWhat is the question we askWhat is the question we askyou?you?you?you?you?

“Do You Wish“Do You Wish“Do You Wish“Do You Wish“Do You WishThat We Show Up?”That We Show Up?”That We Show Up?”That We Show Up?”That We Show Up?”

How can you answer thisquestion?

The truth of soul can be read bytelepathy. You only need to clearlyask yourself this question and giveyour answer as clearly, on your ownor in a group, as you wish. Being inthe heart of a city or in the middleof a desert does not impact theefficiency of your answer, YES orNO, immediately after asking thequestion. Just do it as if you werespeaking to yourself.

This is a universal question andthese mere few words, put in theircontext, have a powerful meaning.You should not let hesitation get inthe way. This is why you should calmlythink about the question and yourresponse, in all conscience. In orderto perfectly associate your answerwith the question, it is recommendedthat you answer right after anotherreading of this message.

Do not rush to answer. Breatheand let all the power of your own freewill penetrate you. Be proud of whatyou are! The problems that you mayhave weaken you. Forget about themfor a few minutes and be yourSelves.Feel the force that springs up in you.You are in control of yourselves!

A single thought, a single answercan drastically change your nearfuture, in one way or another. Yourindividual decision of asking yourinner self that we show up on yourmaterial plan and in broad daylightis precious and essential to us.

Even though you can choose theway that best suits you, rituals are

essentially useless. A sincere requestmade with your heart and your ownwill will always be perceived by thoseof us whom it is sent to. In your ownprivate polling booth of your secretwill, you will determine the future.

What would be the conse-What would be the conse-What would be the conse-What would be the conse-What would be the conse-quences of a positive decision?quences of a positive decision?quences of a positive decision?quences of a positive decision?quences of a positive decision?

For us, the immediate conse-quence of a collective favorabledecision would be the materializationof many ships, in your sky and onEarth.

For you, the direct effect wouldbe the rapid abandoning of manycertitudes and beliefs.

A simple, conclusive visual con-tact would have huge repercussionson your future. Much knowledgewould be modified forever. Theorganization of your societies wouldbe deeply upheaved forever, in allfields of activity. Power wouldbecome individual because you wouldsee for yourself that we are living.Concretely, you would change thescale of your values!

The most important thing for usis that humankind would form a singlefamily in front of this “unknown” wewould represent!

Danger would slowly melt awayfrom your homes because you wouldindirectly force the undesirableones, those we name the “thirdparty”, to show up and vanish. Youwould all bear the same name andshare the same roots: Mankind!

Later on, peaceful and respectfulexchanges would be thus possible, ifsuch is your wish. For now, he who ishungry cannot smile, he who isfearful cannot welcome us. We aresad to see men, women and childrensuffering to such a degree in theirflesh and in their hearts when theybear such an inner light. This lightcan be your future. Our relationshipscould be progressive.

Several stages of several yearsor decades would occur: demon-strative appearance of our ships,physical appearance beside humanbeings, collaboration in your tech-nical and spiritual evolution,discovery of parts of the galaxy.

Every time, new choices would be


offered to you. You would thendecide by yourself to cross newstages if you think it necessary toyour external and inner well-being.No interference would be decidedupon unilaterally. We would leave assoon as you would collectively wishthat we do.

Depending upon the speed tospread the message across theworld, several weeks, or even severalmonths will be necessary before our“great appearance”, if such is thedecision made by the majority ofthose who will have used theircapacity to choose, and if thismessage receives the necessarysupport. The main differencebetween your daily prayers toentities of a strictly spiritual natureand your current decision isextremely simple : we are technicallyequipped to materialize!

Why spread such a messageWhy spread such a messageWhy spread such a messageWhy spread such a messageWhy spread such a messageamong yourselves?among yourselves?among yourselves?among yourselves?among yourselves?

Translate and spread thismessage widely. This action willaffect your future in an irreversibleand historical way at the scale ofmillenniums, otherwise, it will post-pone a new opportunity to choose toseveral years later, at least onegeneration, if it can survive.

Not choosing stands forundergoing other people’s choice.Not informing others stands forrunning the risk of obtaining a resultthat is contrary to one’s expect-ations. Remaining indifferent meansgiving up one’s free will. It is all aboutyour future. It is all about yourevolution.

It is possible that this invitationdoes not receive your collectiveassent and that, because of a lackof information, it will be disregarded.Nevertheless, no individual desiregoes unheeded in the universe.

Imagine our arrival tomorrow.Thousands of ships. A unique culturalshock in today’s/mankind’s history.It will then be too late to regretabout not making a choice andspreading the message because thisdiscovery will be irreversible. We doinsist that you do not rush into it,but do think about it... and decide!

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈Our ‘Letters’ section is the

place for you to askQuestions, share your

experience, inspirations,dreams and perspectives.You may even choose to

initiate a debate!Please send one or more

of the above toLETTERS % Dream Network

PO Box 1026Moab, UT 84532

or email: [email protected]≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Errata inErrata inErrata inErrata inErrata inUnariuns DreamingUnariuns DreamingUnariuns DreamingUnariuns DreamingUnariuns Dreaming

Vol. 22 No. 4Vol. 22 No. 4Vol. 22 No. 4Vol. 22 No. 4Vol. 22 No. 4

IIIII read the preview of theUnariuns Dreaming article Online,which was very exciting, but I wasvery dismayed to read one of thechanges that was made in the articleI wrote, for it totally changes themeaning, and actually doesn’t makesense. Here is what I submitted asthe last two sentences of the sec-ond paragraph . . .

“I know without a doubt that thebeings on board that ship are com-ing to help us because I can feel thelove oscillation that they are project-ing, and it’s wonderful! I must letother people know that they are com-ing in peace, so they won‚t be afraidof these benevolent beings.”

What appears in the article is . . .“I must let other people know thatthey are coming in peace, so thealiens won’t be afraid of these be-nevolent beings. They refers toother people from the first part ofthe sentence, the earth people, sochanging to aliens doesn’t makesense—so the beings won’t be afraidof themselves?

I would have appreciated you con-tacting me if you, or whomever ed-ited my write-up, felt the sentencewas unclear, to clarify what was be-ing said instead of changing they toaliens.

In Light, Celeste AppelEl Cajon, CA [email protected]

We offer our apology and encour-age readers to refer to your

article, integrating this informa-tion. Please accept. Ed.

NOW AvailableNOW AvailableNOW AvailableNOW AvailableNOW Available

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is now available ONLINE.Everything you ever wanted to

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DreamNetwork.net/booklet.html

I I I I I received the Dream NetworkJournal Vol. 22 No. 4 and I thank youfor sending it. I find it veryinteresting but I was hoping that youcould send it in Spanish because Idon’t read English very well.

It was brought to my attentiona book in the journal: RadicalDreaming by John Goldhammer. Iwould like to purchase this book if itis available in Spanish.

Thank you again!Mario Guerrero, Bath, NY

The big medias will not benecessarily interested in spreadingthis message. It is therefore yourtask, as an anonymous yet an extra-ordinary thinking and loving being, totransmit it.

You are still the architects ofyour own fate...

“Do you wish that we show up?”“Do you wish that we show up?”“Do you wish that we show up?”“Do you wish that we show up?”“Do you wish that we show up?”


Focus: Focus: Focus: Focus: Focus: (Some of) (Some of) (Some of) (Some of) (Some of)

The Many Ways ofThe Many Ways ofThe Many Ways ofThe Many Ways ofThe Many Ways of

Working with DreamsWorking with DreamsWorking with DreamsWorking with DreamsWorking with Dreams

Part IPart IPart IPart IPart I

Dancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream AwakeDancing the Dream Awake


IntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroductionIntroduction

DDDDDance has the power to manifest the unconsciousvisibly through the physical shapes the dancers make and the move-ment patterns that they trace through space. The imagery that thedance stirs up in the mind’s eye engages the audience’s imagination.“Dreams never lie,’” C. G. Jung assures us. Gabrielle Roth asserts,“The body never lies.” Therefore, a dream dance has the potential toexpress a very primal truth.

I teach dance at a small, private liberal arts college where I amArtistic Director of the Berry College Dance Troupe. We present anannual dance concert for which I develop original dances. For the 2002concert entitled, ‘Wishes, Lies, and Dreams,’ I created a dream danceas a way of working with the dream material that was bubbling up toconsciousness for me.

For years, I have recorded every dream that awakened me fromsleep. These dreams were often intensely gripping nightmares thatdemanded my immediate attention. I have also done stream-of-con-sciousness journaling in which much of my dream material arises.

When Last I DreamedWhen Last I DreamedWhen Last I DreamedWhen Last I DreamedWhen Last I DreamedWhen I began working on this dream dance, my students found this

way of honoring dreams fascinating. I brought in passages from Jungand John Sanford to give them a deeper perspective on how I wastransforming the dreams into choreography. Before I began teachinga dance phrase, I would read the dream to them that we were about toenact. I wanted the dancers to understand the motivation behind themovement. Sometimes the dream would speak to one of the dancerspersonally and he/she would literally jump at the chance to portraythe protagonist.

‘When Last I Dreamed’ provided the opportunity to embody mydreams. It recreated the visions I had seen in my sleep. Although Idid a great deal of research into dream symbolism, my goal was todelve into the feeling state that came up in the dream, rather thananalyzing the meaning of the dream. I also explored active imaginationas a way of finishing a dream or to further develop dream material.

OpeningOpeningOpeningOpeningOpening

‘When Last I Dreamed’ opened inrelative stillness. The audience wasinvited into the dreamscape, whichincluded the outline of a two-storyTudor style home with twin dormers,a huge birdcage, and a pedestal. Thetwo male dancers and six femaledancers were costumed in fluid silkpants and short-sleeved shirts inpale tones, reminiscent of pajamas.

AngelsAngelsAngelsAngelsAngelsThe first dream sequence re-en-

acted Jacob’s classic dream from theOld Testament, wherein a ladderconnecting heaven and earth ap-peared, with angels flowing up anddown the rungs. In this angelic dance,the female dancers entered sequen-tially and began turning. The Der-vish-like spinning invoked a sense ofrelinquishing control, of surrender-ing to the Divine. Next, pairs andsingle dancers ‘took flight,’ in theform of running leaps, as well as

When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:When Last I Dreamed:Creating Dances from DreamsCreating Dances from DreamsCreating Dances from DreamsCreating Dances from DreamsCreating Dances from Dreams

By Jeanne Schul Elkins

Dream-Dance

Digital photos acompanying this article by Chris Love

Full Set


male-assisted lifts. So, the openingdream sequence created a sense ofDivine presence in the dream dance.

Man with a GunMan with a GunMan with a GunMan with a GunMan with a Gun

The next section of the dancedepicted scenes from nightmares.My first disturbing dream reported:

I am at the home of my child-hood, even though I am a youngmother. I am facing our greenfront door, surrounded by ivy

wallpaper. I can see a man that Irecognize on the other side of thedoor, a man with whom I was oncevery much in love. Now, however,

the sight of this man holding a gunoutside my front door is extremely

threatening. I panic as I realizethat my parents have never lockedtheir doors, in fact, none of their

doors or windows lock. I feelextremely vulnerable. My heart ispounding. I know that there is noway of keeping this man at bay.

Somehow, I muster the courage toshove the front door open and he

falls into an abyss with his gunfalling after him.

This dark dream unfolded as adance phrase in which a young womanseemed to be panicking and runningfrom room to room inside the Tudorhouse. A large man with a gun creptup to the house and paced back andforth in front of the window. Hepeered inside at her. The female rec-ognized him, but only responded tohim as a threat to her security. Thetension mounted, as harsh musicgrew more intense, until she finallyfainted and he ran off stage.

Two WomenTwo WomenTwo WomenTwo WomenTwo WomenThe second section of the

dark dreams involved two femaledancers who performed a franticdance to discordant music. Theirmovements were harsh, angular, andstaccato. Their arm gestures slashedout into space. They fell to the floor.Their bodies exploded open. Theycontracted violently closed. It was adance of possession. It brought upimages of the medieval Tarantella,in which women reportedly dancedout of control until they passed outor died.

FallingFallingFallingFallingFallingAfter we had been building the

dance for several weeks, I asked allthe dancers, “What dreams do youhave that we are not portraying?”“Falling dreams!” was the resoundingresponse. So, we immediately beganto recreate their dream experiences.Three of the tiniest dancers agreedto be the fallers. They each mountedthe pedestal and one after anotherfell backwards into the arms of theother dancers, who then eased eachto the floor. This added interest tothe dance and the collaboration gaveeveryone a sense of ownership in thecreative process. Then our 6’ 6”former collegiate baseball playershared his idea: “I always dreamthat I’m falling face first. I’d like totry doing that.” Everyone froze! Heoutweighed most of our dancers byover one hundred pounds! Still, ev-eryone agreed to let him have histurn falling, very aware of how muchforce would have to be absorbed tokeep him safe. When it was his turn,he didn’t just fall passively into theirarms; he sprung off the pedestal likehe was diving into a swimming pool!The studio echoed with the slappingsound of twelve hands breaking hisfall. Although it was a very stress-ful scene, it stayed in the choreog-raphy. Every run of the show, his fallbrought gasps, as members of theaudience revisited their worst fall-ing dreams.

BirdcageBirdcageBirdcageBirdcageBirdcage

The next dreamscape involved ahuman-sized Victorian birdcage. Thismetaphor grew out of dream imag-ery in which I reported: I feel likeI’m suffocating, gasping for air orcaged as a wild animal, having alwaysknown sweet freedom. In otherdream imagery a beautiful bird of-ten appeared in a gilded cage. Myresearch suggested that birds oftensymbolize the soul, as a creature ofboth the earth and the sky. The im-age of a cage suggested the restric-tion of an instinctive aspect of theself. A caged bird reportedly servedas a metaphor for frustrated spiri-tual ambitions. To depict the essence of the cagedbird, a stark white light illuminatedthe cage. A single female dancergripped the bars with both hands andpeered out. As the dissident musicbuilt to a climax, she kicked andswung her legs about the limitedspace, but froze all activity to watchanother female dancer ‘fly’ past thecage as two men lifted her.

The Dream Lover’s DanceThe Dream Lover’s DanceThe Dream Lover’s DanceThe Dream Lover’s DanceThe Dream Lover’s DanceThe caged dancer remained con-

fined, as four other female dancersjoined her on stage, along with a tallmale. The man relaxed on the ped-


estal and watched as his Anima ordream lover dance unfolded. Thefour women on stage moved sensu-ously, with gestures that communi-cated longing and desire. The cageddancer joined their dance in her con-fined space; her arms reached outof the bars, beseechingly. When thisdream concluded, all of the charac-ters exited the stage, including shewho had been contained in the bird-cage.

Snake GoddessSnake GoddessSnake GoddessSnake GoddessSnake Goddess

The snake dance grew out of a spe-cific dream I had:

‘There are snakes everywhere,venomous snakes. I witness this

scene, but do not physically inter-act. My beautiful middle daughterand her father are rallying these

snakes into the center of the spacebetween the two of them. In pairs,the snakes merge and wrap aroundeach other and rise upward. How-

ever, they begin devouring oneanother instead. As the energy

changes, the young woman becomesless cautious in the way she is

handling the snakes. Just as shedrops two snakes on the ground

and they escape between her feetand legs, I speak. “Do not allow

those snakes to run between your

legs. They could bite your ankle orslide up your leg.” Just then, shegrips another snake close to thetail and lifts it toward herself.

The snake slings itself against hertorso and ascends her body, biting

her neck as it slides under her hair.”I am bitten,” she announces simply,releasing her grasp on the snake.’

There were many ways to workwith this dream. I chose to focuson the transformative symbol ofthe snake, with its ability to shedits skin and start life anew in an-other manifestation. I was alsoaware of the medical symbol inher-ent in the entwined rising snakes asI continued my research. Death indreams reportedly symbolized an-other form of transformation, fromone life experience to the next. So,I worked with this dream dancephrase by focusing all the transfor-mative energy on the central fe-male. She undergoes metamorpho-sis into the Snake Goddess of earlyCretan culture.

As I recreated the snake dream,I opened the scene with a beauti-ful young woman dancing into cen-ter stage with a 6-foot snakewrapped around her shoulders likea shawl. Her undulating solo por-trayed snake-like sensuality. Shecommanded the stage with her pow-erful presence and took on the per-sona of the Snake Goddess. Then,pairs of women entered from oppo-site sides of the stage, each with asnake held between her hands. Af-ter encircling the Snake Goddess,each draped her snake on the out-stretched arms of the Goddess andexited, as another pair of dancersentered holding their snakes. Thiscontinued until the Snake Goddesswas laden with snakes undulating allover her upper torso. At this point,two men advanced toward her, pre-senting a throne upon which she sat,balancing all of her snakes, and theycarried her offstage.

EndingEndingEndingEndingEnding

‘When Last I Danced’ concluded byrevisiting the still point imagery withwhich it began. Dancers were joinedin pairs and trios, mirroring one an-other or mutually supporting theother in shapes that challenged theirbalance and level of trust. Each im-age that emerged out of their bod-ies blending and entwining offered agateway to the audience’s own fan-tasies, with a final group sculpturedepicting diversity within wholeness.

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusionThis choreography was my cre-

ative response to delving into therealm of my own dreams, knowingthat there was nowhere to hide.‘When Last I Dreamed’ evolved incollaboration with my student danc-ers. Without their willingness to takedreams seriously, I could never havetaken the risks involved in telling theworld what I least understand aboutmyself! ℘

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

All photographs submitted for this

article are of the Berry College Dance

Troupe, for which Jeanne Schul Elkins is

Artistic Director. Cover & article

photos were taken by Chris Love, a

middle grades math and science teacher

at the Berry College Middle School. He

enjoys amateur photography and digital

artistry. His wife and daughter are a

constant supporter of his dreams and

aspirations.


“IIIIIt’s becoming a tradition,”said Robert Moss, “for you, Noreen,to give us another Dream Theatre.Will you?”

Will I! I can’t wait. This is mythird year in a row to immerse myselfin more new adventurous experienceswithin my dreaming psyche at thislatest weekend workshop, ‘DancingWith The Bear.’ Even Robert doesn’tknow this, but I was hoping to doDream Theatre on a completelydifferent dream than the one thatpranced forth. But that’s fine … it’sgood for me to be spontaneous withinthe moment. Maybe next year!

It all falls in place as Robert askseach of us (around 22 people) to tella dream and say what our purpose isfor being here—what do we mostwant? When my turn comes, I, forsome unknown reason, am promptedto tell a dream from last December.Here it is …

“Deer Mother Love”“Deer Mother Love”“Deer Mother Love”“Deer Mother Love”“Deer Mother Love”It’s a lovely day, so I happily hikedown the path into our pine woods.However, my mood changes in aninstant when I see a beautiful,young deer lying dead on the

ground. An aching sadnessenvelopes me and I start to cry.Then I look to the right and amdevastated to see yet another

deer lying dead among the leaves.By now I’m inconsolable with

sadness. Then I hear a slight noisefurther back in the woods. It’s theMother Deer. She has injured herback left leg and is now dragging

herself, with what seems to me tobe the last ounce of her strength,

towards her dear children.

By now I am in awe of whathappens next. Mother Deer

reaches her children and embracesthem with her two great arms

(front legs), at which moment thebig soulful brown eyes of both

young deer open wide as they gazelovingly towards their Mother.

They are not dead. They have beenbrought back to life. I feel a warmrush of tenderness and know, like

never before, the healing power ofMother Love.

I should have known somethingwas brewing, because as I relatedthis dream to the circle, I wasgetting choked-up and teary-eyed. Inanswer to Roberts’ question, “Whatis your purpose for being here? I say,“To understand what true compass-ion is and learn how to live it.”

So, you can see the stage is set.When Robert now asks me to do theDream Theatre with this dream, howcan I resist! You’d think by this timeI’d be used to doing theseperformances, but no way! Each timeis as fresh an experience as eatingfish right out of the ocean.

It’s a treat to choose the playersfor my dream story enactment, givingme an inkling that in truth, “I reallyDO direct my own life.” The trick,I’m realizing more all the time, is todirect my life consciously in the wayI want it to go. Otherwise, I’ll directmy life unconsciously by default, andwho wants that! Carl Jung was verywise when he pointed out that oneof the most important things dreamscan do for us is to make ourunconscious conscious.

RehearsalRehearsalRehearsalRehearsalRehearsal

Now it’s rehearsal time. I’vechosen my cast and there is laughterand mounting excitement already asI prompt our various dream grouppeople to experience their roles.Neal and Bud are doing a fine job asthe two dead deer as they lieawkwardly sprawled and immobile onthe hard wood floor (pretending tobe in the woods, of course). I choosethese two people because I sensetheir deep connection with the EarthMother.

I choose Mishalla to play me. Sheplayed the lyrical, lovely, lute playerin my last Dream Theatre a year ago.I sense she has a gentle compassionwithin her and therefore is just rightfor the role.

Now who would be just perfectto play the Mother Deer? Why, noneother than Robert Moss, of course.(This is the second time I’ve chosenhim to play a mother!!!). There ismore truth to this than I know atthe time, for Robert shared with melater that, even though the title forthis weekend workshop is, “DancingWith The BEAR,” he had been feelingstrongly the energy of DEER the lastday or two. He even let me hold andring a beautiful little ‘deer bell’ thathe had brought along.

As always, I wish I couldremember the names of everyone inour group, but nope, not yet. So Ismile and point to various peopleasking if they would be willing to playthe supporting roles, which includethe back porch, the path to thewoods and all the trees in the woods.

Deer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother LDeer Mother L♥♥ v ev ev ev ev ev ev ev ev ev eDream Theatre with Robert Moss

by Noreen Wessling

Dream Theatre


Every one has an important role.“It’s time to do the rehearsal

now,” booms the resonant voice ofRobert Moss, right before he shape-shifts into the injured Mother Deer.I’m aware of deep emotions buildingup in me even as we do our rehearsal.I’m already feeling great sadness andstarting to cry. Wefinish, and in a limpeffort to steady myself,I quip, “And this is onlythe rehearsal!”

The Real ThingThe Real ThingThe Real ThingThe Real ThingThe Real Thing

Take One … Action!The living story thatfollows can not beduplicated and totallyencompasses the ess-ence and fullness ofwhat my dream is about—at least for me—now.At this point, I playmyself and Mishallabecomes my ‘ethericother,’ walking slightly infront of me and it is shewho gently calls to mefrom within the woodsto bring my attention tothe Deer Mother.

The sadness anddespair I felt beforeare pale in comparison tothe intensity of thesefeelings in me now as Istand over the two lifeless deer(Neal and Bud). In the few sec-ondsthat I stand there, tears runningunabashedly down my cheeks, an oddcollection of images flash through mymind in a matter of seconds, such as:scenes from my childhoodimpressions of World War 2 whizthrough my mind; myself in the airraid shelter with only Mum and myTeddy Bear to comfort and protectme; bombs, death, blackouts, rawfear. This thread-worn Bear with histilted head and winsome smile hasbeen with me from my earliestyears— longer than anyone else Iknow. Yes, he’s my lifelong furryfriend whom I brought to the altarat this workshop. He thoroughly

enjoyed it! And yes, I’ll admit it, eventhoughts of Bambi flashed duringthese few seconds. I loved this movieand it was my first experience withloving a deer.

My rambling thoughts are nowinterrupted as Mother Deer—Robert—in her excruciating pain,

somehow rises above it and drags herinjured body towards her children.By now, I’m totally ripped up, cryingmy eyes out. Then the Deer Motherenfolds her children in her ‘arms.’With this amazing act of love,compassion and courage, the twoyoung deer are brought back to life.Their adoring brown eyes gaze upontheir Mother.

The healing power of MotherLove brings me to my knees now, myhead trying to burrow in the earth.I can’t help myself . Tears becomebig sobs from my childhood as I leanon the leg of one of the deer, knowingI’m getting his leg wet. Even in themidst of my turmoiled emotions,I am aware that it’s Bud’s leg that

I’m crying on (he has shorts on) andthe hairs on his leg are tickling mynose. Ah, such is life. Nothing iswithout its humorous side, thankGoddess! He doesn’t know this.Maybe he’ll read this article. Later,Robert tells me that Deer as a totemanimal brings healing and protection.

Back to thedrama: As MotherDeer embraces herchildren and me, soalso do the trees, thepath and the backporch; all movegracefully into widen-ing and deepening thisone immense singleembrace. It is trulyawesome to feel in mybones, my very cells,the effect of thisCommunion. For this iswhat it truly is. In mytenuous Catholic days(from age 21 to 28),‘communion’ never didit for me. I was oldenough that (Catholi-cism) never really‘took.’ This does.Finally, as I pull my-self upright again—hoping that my smear-ed mascara doesn’tmake me look toodorky; OK, so my egois still alive and well—

I see tears in the bright eyes ofmany in our cast. Hugs abound. Thethree deer are all alive and boundinghappily around. All is right with myworld.

What is SO wonderful aboutDream Theatre is this: It can be, atits best, a splendid example of ‘livingin the now’ and experiencing‘oneness.’ Yes, I know these areterms that get a bit bandied aroundthese days, but when you feel it, youKNOW it to be true … and it isdelicious!

Muchas gracias to the whole castand may your eyes continue to shine.

End of Dream Theatre

Drawing by Chris Grassano

(More☛✑)


PostScriptPostScriptPostScriptPostScriptPostScript(the beginning at theend/the deer were incahoots from the begin-ning to the end/the inter-relatedness of it all)

Here’s what happeneda couple of days beforethis workshop. I am bik-ing real early in the morn-ing on the bike trail. Noone is around. As is mycustom, I stop on thebridge overlooking thescenic Little Miami river… just to look around andsee what’s happeningdown there… what critt-ers are there today.Things like that. So, asI’m gazing over the wateron this beautiful morning,the thought of my par-ents comes to me. (Theyboth died in 1986 within14 weeks of each other).“Mum and Dad,” I hearmyself say, “Thank youever so much for bringingme into this life, it’spretty wonderful.” I’dbarely finished mysentence when, over to the right, Isee a Deer come out of the woodsand stand by the edge of the river.Transfixed, I watch as the deerwades into the water with theobvious intent of crossing the river,which it does. I’ve never seen a deerdo this before. Then he disappearsinto the woods. Instantly, I know thisis a response somehow from thespirit of my parents and they arecommunicating, “Noreen, how dear(deer) you are to us.” My whole bodytingles with delight. Could it possiblybe that this encounter has a role in

the upcoming Dream Theatre? Is thePope Polish!The Cherry on the SundaeThe Cherry on the SundaeThe Cherry on the SundaeThe Cherry on the SundaeThe Cherry on the Sundae

To top off this final Sunday asour workshop ends, I feel the needto hike at the Nature Center not toofar away. So, after stopping off atWendy’s to pick up a baked potatoand salad... to feed the deer in me.I head off and meditate in my hotcar, ravenously gobble down mypicnic, have a lovely leisurely hikearound the lily pond, admire 15 geeseon the pond bank, enjoy the

“Deer Mother Love” Enhanced Touch Drawing by Noreen Wessling

Haaarumph, Haaaa-rumph sounds from thelocal Frog Chorus (evenjoined in a bit), thenhead down the last pathback to my car. It isnow that I see her …the DEER. Ever so closeto me, she is walking onher parallel path. Shestops to relieve herself.I move closer. She seesme. She spits straightat me while making aloud guttural sound. I’mstartled and amusedboth at the same time.My logic tells me thatthis is a natural pro-tective maneuver while‘relieving herself,’ then Iremember what Robertsaid earlier this dayabout how a Shaman willsometimes vigorouslyspit on the ground afterworking with a personwho has toxic or nega-tive things which he,the Shaman, is att-empting to release.

Now I’m getting thefeeling that this deer is in cahootswith our Dream Theatre and isactually helping me to release someof my toxic junk. Thank you, Deer,that’s a very cool thing to do. As ifto confirm that we are indeedfriends, she continues to walk slowlywith me on her parallel path for afew more minutes. Three times shestops and looks at me. At the end ofthe path, she looks at me once againbefore prancing off into the woods.

I, in turn, prance off to my carwondering if indeed I should havebecome an actress after all. ℘


AAAAAt 1 p.m. in the afternoon,as I get ready to go out to do myerrands, I glance out the window andsee something strangebehind a bush. Oh, it’s adeer’s little nubbin of atail. Nothing too unusualabout that, for althoughI live in a neighborhoodsurrounded by houses, myyard is full of ivy, a circleof small trees low to theground and pretty greenweeds. It is not unusualfor the deer to stop by,for the area in front ofmy house is quite safe. Ido worry about themwhen they stay too late inthe day and have to bravetraffic on their way hometo the nearby canyon. Sothis time of day is unusualand somewhat dangerousfor a deer to visit.

As I watch her graz-ing around the trees, Irealize that one foot orleg is injured; she canstand and walk but cannot put herweight on her left hind leg. I decideto be very quiet and wait till sheleaves. I begin to send her Reikienergy with Rescue Remedy on myhands. I visualize holding her foot,massaging her hind quarters and legwith arnica and calendula. I pray tothe Holy Mother to heal her.Eventually, I abandon my errands andstay quietly in my house, comm-unicating to the deer to rest quietly

and safely in my yard. Late in theafternoon, I leave messages for mylandlady and her sister that an

injured deer is in the yard and askthat they please not startle her orchase her away.

Finally, it is dark. I communicateto the deer to continue to wait untilall traffic has cleared. The landlady’ssister comes banging on my door,wanting to approach the deer. Shecannot hear me and in order to stopher from banging, I yell at her toleave the deer alone, making asubstantial amount of noise myself.

Dream HealingDream HealingDream HealingDream HealingDream Healing

Drawing by Chris Grassano

I felt badly afterward and apol-ogized to her. But the deer didn’tbolt, and late in the evening she is

still there. I call severalfriends and ask them tosend healing energy andprayers to/for the littledeer.

In the morning, thedeer is gone. At noon, myfriend calls me to tell meher dream:A baby deer is with hermother. She has a bandageon her left rear ankle.”

I cry tears of relief.The deer is safe with hermom.

Two days later, in theearly morning, I open myfront door to see the deersitting directly in front ofme. She stands up and verydeliberately stretches herleft hind leg, gently bring-ing her foot to the ground.She stands down on all fourlegs, slightly favoring theinjured leg. Again in two

days, she comes, showing me she cannearly bear full weight on the injuredleg.

I give thanks and know that loveand healing do survive in the universeand “I get by,” as in the Beatles sang,“with a little help from my friends.”℘

Elizabeth Howard has an M.A. in Gestalt

Therapy. She is a Holistic Counselor, dream-

worker and animal communicator in the

Monterey Bay/CA area. Phone 831/622-7770

Email [email protected].

Oh, Deer!Oh, Deer!A Dream of Cooperative Healing

©2004 by Elizabeth L. Howard, M.A.



DDDDDuring the summer of 2002,as a Ph.D. student at SaybrookGraduate School, I had the oppor-tunity to participate in an Experien-tial Dream Group Leadership Train-ing Workshop presented by Dr.Montague Ullman, M.D., given at hishome in Ardsley, N.Y. I attended theweekend session with my husband,John Creveling. Because we bothhave graduate degrees involvinggroup process and have always beeninterested in the dynamics of anygroup of which we are a part, Johnasked Dr. Ullman what impact knowl-edge of group dynamics had on con-ducting dream groups. Dr. Ullmanreplied, “It is not about group dy-namics—it is about the dream.” While I agree that knowing andfollowing a method—in this case theUllman method—of dream analysis isthe most important competency fora trainer to have, I think a basicknowledge of group dynamics couldalso be very helpful. I will discuss Dr.Ullman’s approach to dream analysisand give examples from the group heconducted to illustrate certainpoints, considering group composi-tion, the stages of group develop-ment (forming, storming, norming,and performing), and ’task’ and ‘main-tenance’ functions. Hopefully, thiswill help any facilitator of dreamgroups.

Group CompositionGroup CompositionGroup CompositionGroup CompositionGroup Composition A consideration for any leader isthe composition of the group—the

size, how homogeneous the group is,and if members of the group knowone another previous to their par-ticipating in the dream group. There were thirteen participants(including Dr. Ullman) who attendedthe Dream Group Leadership Train-ing. While 12 participants is consid-ered by many to be an ideal size forpersonal growth workshops, Ullman(1996) believes the optimal size foran ongoing dream group is six toeight, including the leader. Less thanthat number, there is a diminishedpower of group input and there maybe too much pressure for each mem-ber to come up with a dream; morethan that number, there may be toolong a wait for participants to havean opportunity to present a dreamto the group. Because some people were mem-bers of other dream groups, therewere subgroups within the group.About half of the members had pre-viously attended groups led by Dr.Ullman. There were three couples inthe group, two of whom were mar-ried. Two of the group members kneweach other through their affiliationwith a graduate school. When mem-bers of a dream group know eachother well through their affiliationin other groups, the facilitator mayhave to work harder to build groupcohesion and identity. Eight members of the group werewomen, five were men. Ullman (1996)prefers dream groups comprised ofboth sexes and says his groups areusually predominantly female. The

age of group members ranged froma person in her early 20s to Dr.Ullman who is in his early 80s. Abouthalf of the group members were inthe middle-age range (40—60 yearsof age). Ten members of the groupwere Caucasian; two were of Asianethnicity. All of the group membershad at least some college education. Ullman (1996) states that homo-geneity with regard to educationallevel and cultural background has fa-vorable and unfavorable aspects.When a group is homogeneous, peoplemay feel more at ease with one an-other and be more comfortable shar-ing common problems. On the otherhand, people from different back-grounds can offer different per-spectives and broaden horizons.Ullman believes it is unfortunate thatgroup dreamwork attracts ”a pre-dominantly white middle-class seg-ment of the population. There wouldbe much to learn about dreams anddreamwork if greater effort wasmade to include ethnic, racial, andother minorities” (p. 204-205). Ofcourse, in conducting groups wheremembers are of different back-grounds, being able to speak and un-derstand a common language is a ne-cessity.

Stages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group DevelopmentStages of Group Development All groups, regardless of whetherthey last for one weekend or oneyear, have some kind of sequentialdevelopment process. While the du-ration of a group’s life influences theamount and rate of a group’s devel-

The Role of Group DynamicsThe Role of Group DynamicsThe Role of Group DynamicsThe Role of Group DynamicsThe Role of Group Dynamicsin Facilitatingin Facilitatingin Facilitatingin Facilitatingin FacilitatingDream GroupsDream GroupsDream GroupsDream GroupsDream Groups

by Christina Robertson

Dreamwork in Groups


opment, groups run for a few daysor even hours, follow essentially thesame course of development as doon-going groups run for a period of ayear or more. A number of group developmentmodels exist. Some are very simpleand ’user friendly.’ Others presentnumerous phases and sub-phaseswhich make them too complex toserve as ’easy’ tools for group facili-tators. However, every model whichdiscusses developmental stages—re-gardless of the number of stages orsub-stages presented—depicts thesame general process. There is aninitial process when a group isformed that can be anticipated, e.g.,the establishment of norms to gov-ern the group’s performance andbehavior, conflict that occurs amonggroup members, and maintaining fo-cus on performing the group’s task.Catchy terms which describe andsummarize the stages of group de-velopment are ‘forming, storming,norming, and performing’ (Moran,Musselwhite, and Zenger, 1996;Tuckman, 1965). The importance of group leaders(and group members) having a knowl-edge of the phases of group devel-opment is that at any given stage ofgroup development, some interven-tions intended to help the group ac-complish its task may be more ap-propriate than others. A list of in-terventions leaders can use at theforming, storming, norming and per-forming stages of group developmentappears at the end of this article.

Forming StageForming StageForming StageForming StageForming Stage During the ‘forming stage,’ an ap-propriate intervention is for thegroup leader to ask every memberto give his or her name and reasonwhy they are attending the group.More time may needed for this ac-tivity if the group is meeting for thefirst time, if the group is very di-verse, and if members have very dif-ferent objectives. Meeting all theobjectives of the group may be un-realistic in the time available. Someobjectives may not be appropriate.

It is up to the facilitator to set re-alistic expectations for the groupduring the forming stage. If a dream group is ongoing, anintervention where members intro-duce themselves would need to be re-peated any time there is a new mem-ber of the group. When we firstgathered at Dr. Ullman’s home, heasked us to go around the room andintroduce ourselves. Dr. Ullman in-troduced himself as leader and groupmember. It was clear from the be-ginning that Dr. Ullman was a specialmember of the group—while he wasa member, he was also the leader whohad special expertise and experienceto offer. Thus, in the forming stage,activities were typical of those in theforming stage of most groups. Dr.Ullman asked us to introduce our-selves and share our interest indreams—a bond we all had in common! Because sessions can be micro-cosms of the total group process,after the group has been apart fora period of time the leader may askgroup members to go around in acircle and say something to enableeach person to enter in. This facili-tates the forming stage where theissue ‘to be worked’ is inclusion andmembership in the group. Ullman (1996) states that theleader has a twofold goal in the ini-tial session of a dream group. Theprimary goal is to see that thedreamer gets as much help as pos-sible through various interactionsthat will occur between the dreamerand the group. The second goal is toget across to the group a clear dem-onstration of the way the processworks. Demonstrating the processleads into the second, or ‘norming’phase of a group’s process.

Norming PhaseNorming PhaseNorming PhaseNorming PhaseNorming Phase During the norming phase, the fa-cilitator of a dream group sets the‘foundation’ or ‘rules’ for how thesessions will be conducted. Becausein most cases the leader is the most‘powerful’ group member, it is his orher responsibility to establish guide-lines, making it safe for the dreamerto share a dream, establish norms

for how group members will respectthe dreamer and one another, andinform group members of the pro-cess to be used to explore a dream. Dr. Ullman established the groundrule that the person who shares thedream is in control and is responsiblefor setting limits. The dreamer canchoose to stop at any point duringthe process. He also provided us withan outline of the stages. Ullman (1996) uses a four-stageprocess to understand dreams. InStage I the dreamer shares a dreamas he or she remembers it. At thispoint, the dreamer does not includeany associations or ideas about whatthe dream means. As the dreamerrecounts the dream, members of thegroup write the dream down, so theyare sure they have all the details asgiven in the dreamer’s own words.The group then has an opportunityto ask the dreamer questions re-stricted to the content of the dream. In Stage II of Ullman’s (1996)process, individuals of the group‘make the dream their own’ by see-ing what feelings they can bring tothe imagery of the dream and pos-sible meanings they can think of thatwould fit the imagery—for them.Members of the group do this bysaying, “If this were my dream I... “During this stage, it is emphasizedthat these offerings are projectionsof individuals—no attempt should bemade to ‘force’ them on the dreamer. In Stage III of the process, thedream is returned to the dreamerwho is invited to share his or herthoughts and feelings with the group.Ullman (1996, p. 52) states, “This isthe first step in a continuing inter-play between the dreamer and thegroup, with the goal of deepening thedreamer’s grasp of the dream.” The dreamer is then asked to ex-amine what may have happened re-cently to provide a ‘context’ or im-petus for the dream. Next, thedream is read back to the dreamer,one scene at a time. “The point ofthe playback is the same as thesearch for context—namely, to elicitmore data from the dreamer andthus facilitate more felt connections


to the dream” (p.77). The dreameris free to add associations that oc-cur to him or her as the dream isbeing read back. The last part ofStage III is the orchestration,where “group members organize theassociative material given to themby the dreamer in a way that offersa more focused sense of what adream may be saying about thedreamer’s life” (p. 90). To summa-rize, Stage III consists of a searchfor context for the dream, the play-back of the dream, and group mem-bers orchestrating their projections. Stage IV gives the opportunityfor the dreamer to take a secondlook at the dream and for groupmembers to offer any additionalcomments. In ongoing dream groupswhere there has been an interval be-tween the session in which thedream was presented and the sub-sequent session, Stage IV is contin-ued and starts the next session. Itenables the dreamer from the pre-vious session to offer any additionalinsights and “to take a fresh look atthe dream after some time haselapsed” (p. 110).

StormingStormingStormingStormingStorming Sooner or later, every group willexperience some ‘storming’ or con-flict between group members or be-tween the members and the leaderof the group. Dr. Ullman’s group wasno exception. One group member asked a ques-tion that some members thought wasinappropriate, given the stage of thedream analysis process. Even thoughDr. Ullman stated the question wasacceptable, an underlying conflictwas felt and, in fact, was discussedas a possible context for a dream,which had a conflict theme that waspresented by a group member thenext day. Rogers (1970) points outthat negative feelings in a group of-ten surface when group membersattack the leader for ‘failing’ to giveproper guidance. Another group member consis-tently took more time offering hisdream orchestrations, even thoughDr. Ullman continued to stress the

importance of being more succinct.At other times, he seemed to chal-lenge Dr. Ullman and almost seemedto be competing with him. Challeng-ing the leader in an attempt to ex-press one’s individuality is a normalpart of the storming phase of groupdevelopment. In his book, Ullman (1996) states,“Hidden rivalry and competitivestrivings may emerge and have an ad-verse effect.” Despite any conflictsthat emerged, the group was able tostay on track and did an excellentjob of helping one another under-stand their dreams and learning howto facilitate dream groups. An important question for facili-tators of dream groups to consideris, What steps a leader can take if asubgroup or member does disruptthe progress of the group? Onething a group leader can do is tospeak to the individual privately. Ifthis does not work, the leader cansimply state his or her perception ofwhat is occurring in the group as itoccurs. For example, the leadermight say, “Joan, I feel you are chal-lenging me and the group members.”Sometimes just verbally observingthe disruptive behavior of a memberwill stop it. If this does not work andthe facilitator believes that othergroup members are clearly being dis-turbed by the person’s behavior, heor she may ask, “Does anyone elsefeel that Joan is being overly chal-lenging?” Sometimes having mem-bers of the group state that theyalso perceive a member’s behavior tobe detrimental puts group pressureon the individual to act more appro-priately so that the group is able tocomplete its task most effectively.

Task and MaintenanceTask and MaintenanceTask and MaintenanceTask and MaintenanceTask and MaintenanceFunctionsFunctionsFunctionsFunctionsFunctions

There are two aspects groupleaders need to attend to regardlessof which stage of group formationthe group is experiencing—task andmaintenance. The task aspect con-siders if the group is sufficientlyaware of its goal and has the struc-ture and guidance it needs to do itswork. An example of a task function

would be setting time parametersand seeing that the group adheres. The maintenance aspect of groupdynamics considers if members ofthe group feel safe enough to par-ticipate, if everyone is included, andif there is enough group cohesion forthe group to function. Both task and maintenance func-tions are necessary. If a dream groupwere to focus primarily on task, thegroup climate might seem efficientyet uncaring. It might not feel ‘safe’for group members to share theirdreams. On the other hand, if adream group were to focus primarilyon maintenance functions, peoplemight feel comfortable but the goalof sharing members’ dreams mightnot get accomplished! The ‘ideal’ foroptimal group performance is a hightask and high maintenance environment.

Establishing TrustEstablishing TrustEstablishing TrustEstablishing TrustEstablishing Trust One dream shared in Dr. Ullman’sgroup was particularly significant forme, for it illustrated the importanceof a leader establishing trust withthe group and among the group’smembers. A participant I will callCeleste, seemed particularly insight-ful in her observations, metaphors,and orchestrations when others weresharing their dreams. I was sur-prised to learn, when she was dis-cussing her life context for herdream, that there were many thingsin her life that she did not think‘were working.’ The dream was par-ticularly poignant—touching andsomehow hopeful for this woman whoI thought had so much to contributeand the potential to lead a very richand meaningful life. I was particularly struck with howcaring, compassionate and patientthe group was, considering that wespent almost four hours on thedream—two hours the end of oneday, two hours the beginning of thenext day. The participant who waspracticing leading the process did sowith skill and sensitivity. Dr. Ullmanpaid close attention to the dreamerto ensure she was able to handle theemotions that surfaced as she wasdiscussing the meaning her dream


had for her life. Ullman (1996) discusses the issueof safety and if the dreamer is atrisk when sharing his or her dream.He states,

“The success of the processdepends on the development oftrust: trust in the intrinsicvalue of dream imagery, in thegroup, in the leader, in thereliability of the process, andin oneself to get to where onewants to go with the dream. (p.190)Obviously, this cannot occurunless the group functionseffectively. The fact that thegroup was able to stay with thedreamer and honor her pro-cess, was an indication thatdespite times of conflict, thegroup had arrived at a pointwhere it was able to performwith optimal effectiveness toachieve its goals, particularly ina very sensitive situation withone participant.”

ConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusionConclusion Returning to the question, ‘What

does an understanding of group dy-namics and group process have to dowith effectively leading a dreamgroup?, I thoroughly agree with Dr.Ullman’s statement, “It is not aboutgroup dynamics; it is about thedream.” The dream is the primaryfocus. Yet, groups being what theyare can either be very effective orvery ineffective in helping membersto understand and appreciate theirdreams.

I found it interesting that Dr.Ullman stated he did not start tolead dream groups until he was in hislate fifties. Although he may neverhave had any formal training in groupdynamics, his process works. The wayhe clarifies the roles for group mem-bers, and the way he establishes andreinforces the norm of total respectfor the dreamer, indicates that hehas grasped a knowledge of groupdynamics and facilitation eitherthrough intuition or experience—probably both!

Ullman (1996) states that dreamscan be the source for emotional heal-ing and that three things must bepresent for healing to occur. First,dreamers must be aware of andclarify a current tension. Second,dreamers must be aware of how thepast has paved the way for that ten-sion to appear. And third, dreamersmust be aware that there is some-thing within themselves that can at-test to the honesty of a new visionof themselves, based on the infor-mation they are bringing together toresolve the tension. The dream en-ables these three things to occur.

Members exist to receive thedream, to give support, provide per-spective, and to keep the dreamerhonest. Thus, the dreamer can ben-efit greatly from members of thedream group. As Ullman (1996, p.225) states, “Group dreamwork canand does create the conditions for akind of natural healing process totake place. It is as if the impulse toself-healing is always alive in us,awaiting only a favorable social cli-mate to become manifest.” Leadersof dream groups who understandgroup dynamics and how to monitortask and maintenance functions canhelp a group achieve optimal perfor-mance so that the experience is, infact, about the dream! ℘

ReferencesReferencesReferencesReferencesReferencesMoran, L., Musselwhite, E., & Zenger, J.H. (1996). Keeping teams on track.Chicago: Irwin Professional Publishing.Rogers, C. (1970). On encounter groups.New York: Harper & Row.Tuckman, B. (1965). Developmentalsequence in small groups. PsychologicalBulletin, 63, 384-399.Ullman, M. (1996). Appreciating dreams- A group approach. Thousand Oaks,CA: Sage Publications.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈Christina Robertson is a Ph.D.

student at Saybrook Graduate School

and would like to thank Dr. Stanley

Krippner and Dr. Montague Ullman for

introducing her to the Ullman approach

to dreamwork. Email: 1-

[email protected]

Interventions for LeadersInterventions for LeadersInterventions for LeadersInterventions for LeadersInterventions for LeadersDuring Various Group StagesDuring Various Group StagesDuring Various Group StagesDuring Various Group StagesDuring Various Group Stages

FormingFormingFormingFormingForming—————During this stage theDuring this stage theDuring this stage theDuring this stage theDuring this stage theleader can:leader can:leader can:leader can:leader can:• Identify the goal of the group

Mention his/her dual role ofleader/member

• Provide professional backgroundand dream group experience.

• Give group members opportunityto introduce themselves and telltheir interest/experience indreamwork.

• Discuss the theory/background ofUllman’s process .

• Outline Ullman’s stages of theprocess.• Stress dreamer is always in

control/can stop at any point.

StormingStormingStormingStormingStorming—————During this stageDuring this stageDuring this stageDuring this stageDuring this stagethe leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:• State behavior he/she finds

disruptive to the group.• Ask group members if they find a

given behavior disruptive.• Monitor the emotional climate of

the group.• Talk privately to a very disruptive

member.• Reinforce that the dreamer is

always in control.• Restate member roles during each

stage of Ullman’s process.• Remind members which questions/

statements are appropriate andinappropriate during variousstages of Ullman’s process.

• Stop the group and deal with theconflict if necessary.

Norming—During this stageNorming—During this stageNorming—During this stageNorming—During this stageNorming—During this stagethe leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:• Reinforce the rights of the dreamer.• Continue to monitor the emotional

climate of the group.• Remind the group of roles, guide

lines and limits.• Serve or appoint someone as

timekeeper.• Reinforce member and group

contributions.Performing—During this stagePerforming—During this stagePerforming—During this stagePerforming—During this stagePerforming—During this stagethe leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:the leader can:• Repeat actions listed under the

‘Norming’ stage when needed.• Help the group stay on task.


John Goldhammer, Ph.D., is a

psychotherapist, teacher,

dream researcher, lecturer,

and author. His book, Under

the Influence: The Destructive

Effects of Group Dynamics,

examines the negative effect of

group influence on individual

identity and draws on his ex-

perience as a former member

of a spiritual cult. His most

recent book, Radical Dreaming,

offers a way to identify the in-

ternalized expectations of oth-

ers and live from one’s Authen-

tic Self. Dr. Goldhammer spoke

with Dream Network about his

experience and the Radical

Dreaming process.

Victoria Vlach: Victoria Vlach: Victoria Vlach: Victoria Vlach: Victoria Vlach: In Under the In-fluence, you talk about the religiousgroup—almost a ‘cult’—that you werein, whose founders presented them-selves as dream experts. It’s ironic,in a sense, that your interest indreams led you into this group anddreams led you back out again.John Goldhammer: John Goldhammer: John Goldhammer: John Goldhammer: John Goldhammer: It has been suchan amazing journey for me! Dreamsbrought me back to myself. Lookingback, I had a lot of dreams that wereclearly saying there’s somethingwrong. I had been working withdreams the whole time and my psy-chological immune system was ring-ing loud and clear, but I didn’t knowhow to interpret the dreams. I waspart of the group for 15 years and ittotally dominated everything Ithought about life. What helped me‘out’ is my dreams.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: What made the shift foryou and helped you leave the group?

John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Well, the shift came forme just in the last couple of years.Here I was in this spiritual groupthat claimed they had the answersand the wisdom regarding how oneshould live his/her life and I wasfeeling worse, more depressed... evensuicidal. All my energy was going intowhat the group thought life wasabout and I wasn’t doing anything,going anywhere or making anyprogress. I had already been read-ing Jung and others and the lastcouple of years I started re-read-ing—really studying—and what Ilearned helped me get out of thegroup. One thing I like about Jung isthat he was very ‘anti-group’. He re-alized the danger of ‘group think.’ Istarted looking at my dreams moresymbolically and tried to take themout of the context of the group. Ibegan interpreting my dreams formyself, rather than letting the groupor the founder interpret them forme. The minute I started to do that,

FreeingFreeingFreeingFreeingFreeingthe Authentic Selfthe Authentic Selfthe Authentic Selfthe Authentic Selfthe Authentic Self

An Interview with John Goldhammer, Ph.D.An Interview with John Goldhammer, Ph.D.An Interview with John Goldhammer, Ph.D.An Interview with John Goldhammer, Ph.D.An Interview with John Goldhammer, Ph.D.

By Victoria A. Vlach


my dreams began to make sense tome again and I began moving out. Ittook a year or so to get away after Idecided to leave, because thesepeople had been my friends; that wasa big deal, moreso even than leaving“the group.”

Because of that experience, Ihad to figure out what had happenedto me. I researched all kinds ofgroups and discovered that the pat-terns I experienced in my group wereoften found in many groups. Groupsseem to fall into these certain pat-terns, which then become cult-likeor destructive in certain ways; con-versely, I could also see what makesa healthy group.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: And what makes a healthygroup?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Whatever kind of group itis, a healthy group is not afraid ofcritical thinking. They look at it as abenefit, encourage critical thinkingamong members, and are not afraidto look at themselves and their ownfaults. Healthy groups are not afraidof tension and conflict, as long as it’snot hurting anyone. There’s an ethicof having respect for one anotherand a willingness to respectfully dis-agree with one another... and mem-bers feel safe to explore those dif-ferences. Such groups don’t hold se-crets, either. With secrets, peoplestart assuming things and gossipgrows. Another aspect is that ahealthy group never becomes moreimportant than the individual. Whenthe group becomes more important,people start rationalizing away theirown sense of right and wrong. In ex-treme cases that gets into thecauses of terrorism and how horribleevil can be rationalized. Those aresome of the significant characteris-tics. If a group worked on practicingthese ethics, it would be a fairlyhealthy group. It might have someexciting, even stressful times, butmembers would be healthy, growingand respectful of one another.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Referring back to yourexperience of being drawn to onegroup because of the founder’s ex-

pertise with dream interpretation,what about dream groups which formaround a particular “name” approachor method of understanding dreams,e.g., Jung, Taylor, Delaney, Moss,Ullman, etc.? What do you suggestfor such groups that want to stayfocused on a favored approach andalso honor the authenticity of indi-vidual participants in a healthy way?JJJJJohn G: ohn G: ohn G: ohn G: ohn G: You bring up a real dilemma.I think a healthy group approachwould be to explore several differ-ent methods and try out elements ofeach. I have learned, through myown, often stumbling, direct experi-ence that to try to make one tech-nique the “only” technique is a mis-take and is very limiting. I appreci-ate the many excellent dreamwork-ers who have and are making valu-able contributions to the art ofdreamwork. We each have a contri-bution to make, adding some new in-sights to the vast and awesome artof dreamsharing. When I facilitate dream groups,I make a real effort to point out howJungian psychology would look at aparticular image, or Fritz Pearls, orJames Hillman ala Archetypal Psy-chology, etc. I also have my bias andmy focus with Radical Dreamingtechniques. I have tried to free theinterpretation process from formaldogma—or any pre-judgements aboutwhat dream images signify—some-thing that is a real struggle at times,given people’s often preconceivedideas about dreams. I can’t count howmany times I’ve heard, “Well thatocean in your dream means the un-conscious...” Or “That woman repre-sents your anima,” etc. I think that’spart of the problem with dreamwork:people look for someone else to in-terpret their dreams. So I would ask,“And so.... then what?” or “So what?”I do my best to help each person con-nect with what feels genuine and realas a part of who they are in theirheart and soul, encouraging theirdream images to speak for them-selves within the context of theirlives.

“Working with the“Working with the“Working with the“Working with the“Working with thedreams and our own life indreams and our own life indreams and our own life indreams and our own life indreams and our own life ina creative manner can havea creative manner can havea creative manner can havea creative manner can havea creative manner can have

a tremendous impact ona tremendous impact ona tremendous impact ona tremendous impact ona tremendous impact onsociety. In this sense,society. In this sense,society. In this sense,society. In this sense,society. In this sense,dreamwork becomes adreamwork becomes adreamwork becomes adreamwork becomes adreamwork becomes a

social responsibility, evensocial responsibility, evensocial responsibility, evensocial responsibility, evensocial responsibility, evenan antidote to destructivean antidote to destructivean antidote to destructivean antidote to destructivean antidote to destructiveideologies, as in the caseideologies, as in the caseideologies, as in the caseideologies, as in the caseideologies, as in the caseof religious and politicalof religious and politicalof religious and politicalof religious and politicalof religious and political

extremists.”extremists.”extremists.”extremists.”extremists.”≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: What else would you sug-gest to help people move from rely-ing on dream ‘experts’ to trustingtheir own interpretation?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: I would say that the ap-proach to dreamwork is really impor-tant. Approach it with respect andeven a sense of reverence... a sensethat you’re entering sacred ground.Dreams are a tool that is right here,available to everyone, to help eachof us directly address our individualcreative evolution of consciousness,our healing and, in so doing, affectthe evolution of society as a whole.

I tell people that it takes prac-tice, like learning another languageor like suddenly realizing you aren’tusing a whole set of beautiful toolsyou had packed away somewhere. Youget out the instruction book and youlearn by using them. Be very patientwith yourself, keep your dream jour-nal, work with, explore, and thinkabout your dreams. Gradually youbecome your own expert. I have beenvery happy in recent years becauseI’ve noticed a progression, then a cli-ent will start to tell me, “Hey, I’mgetting pretty good at doing this, Idon’t need anyone—you, even—help-ing me. I’m noticing I’m figuring itall out, and it’s making sense.”

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: The Radical Dream-ing process has six steps. Of these,you consider step four (Freeing theAuthentic Self) the most criticalstep in the process. Would you saymore about what this involves, how ithappens, etc.?


John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Freeing the ‘AuthenticSelf’ refers to working with dreamimages to ascertain what, if any,dream elements do not belong to thedreamer. For example, a dream maypresent a self-defeating view of lifethat one learned from a parent or agroup of some sort. It also involvesbecoming aware of symbols and im-ages of the ‘Authentic Self.’ It islike a sculptor removing everythingthat is not necessary from a blockof marble. The process commonlyproceeds over a series of dreams—rarely just one dream. One must thenmake space, creating room for thoseaspects of one’s authentic nature inwaking life. This usually creates un-comfortable tension and anxiety asour real potential collides with thewaking ego’s propensity to build andmaintain security and to have thefuture all planned and figured out.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: The ‘Authentic Self’ is amajor theme in both books. Howwould you summarize this concept,for those not familiar with the term?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: I use the term “AuthenticSelf” not in the sense of any per-sonality theory but to describe theconstellation of qualities that definethe essential nature of who we re-ally are—including our fate, our des-tiny, our purpose—characteristicsthat combine to make us unique indi-viduals. Instead of a final goal to beattained, the Authentic Self is a cre-ative work-in-process, like the seedbecoming a unique tree. I have ob-served that a sizeable portion of ourdreams “intend” to nudge us into ourpotential, into a creative, authenticlife. Unless we really know who weare and who we are not, we can eas-ily end up not living our own life.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Radical Dreaming incor-porates many role-playing and inter-active techniques found in a varietyof dreamwork modalities. What is so‘radical’ about this process and howis it different from other dream-work?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: It differs in significantways. I look at Radical Dreaming asdrawing on elements of many differ-

“I have found that dreamsI have found that dreamsI have found that dreamsI have found that dreamsI have found that dreamswant the individual to be awant the individual to be awant the individual to be awant the individual to be awant the individual to be a

creative intervention increative intervention increative intervention increative intervention increative intervention insociety. I have yet tosociety. I have yet tosociety. I have yet tosociety. I have yet tosociety. I have yet tohear or read about ahear or read about ahear or read about ahear or read about ahear or read about asingle dream that tellssingle dream that tellssingle dream that tellssingle dream that tellssingle dream that tells

anyone what to do about aanyone what to do about aanyone what to do about aanyone what to do about aanyone what to do about aspecific issue in society orspecific issue in society orspecific issue in society orspecific issue in society orspecific issue in society orin a community. However,in a community. However,in a community. However,in a community. However,in a community. However,I have worked with I have worked with I have worked with I have worked with I have worked with un-un-un-un-un-countable clients’ dreamscountable clients’ dreamscountable clients’ dreamscountable clients’ dreamscountable clients’ dreamsthat first, facilitate thethat first, facilitate thethat first, facilitate thethat first, facilitate thethat first, facilitate the

individual reconnecting withindividual reconnecting withindividual reconnecting withindividual reconnecting withindividual reconnecting withhis/her own creativehis/her own creativehis/her own creativehis/her own creativehis/her own creative

potential and then, helppotential and then, helppotential and then, helppotential and then, helppotential and then, helphim/her find a place inhim/her find a place inhim/her find a place inhim/her find a place inhim/her find a place insociety and the society and the society and the society and the society and the worldworldworldworldworldfor their unique gifts.”for their unique gifts.”for their unique gifts.”for their unique gifts.”for their unique gifts.”≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

ent dreamwork techniques, withsome new approaches that I hope willadd to our collective store of knowl-edge about the awesome potential ofour dreams. Most dreamworkersmaintain that all aspects of thedream belong to the dreamer. A pri-mary difference with Radical Dream-ing is that everything in the dreamdoes not belong to the dreamer. Iuse the term “radical” to allude tothe individual’s need to overthrowconformist influences and program-ming —often from society, family,media, etc.—in order to live one’s ownlife, maximize one’s innate creativepotential and make a real differencein the world. Another “radical” dif-ference is the approach to identify-ing and working with images of one’sessential nature or true self. Aspeople separate themselves fromself-defeating exterior influencesand begin to identify their own truth,they become freer to live out oftheir own Authentic Self.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: How does someone iden-tify those aspects of a dream thatare part of cultural programming and

exterior influences so they can livemore from their Authentic Self?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Well, that comes fromworking on the dream as you gothrough the steps in Radical Dream-ing. In my experience, dreams do notjust reflect societal values; whatthey definitely do is to show thedreamer those attitudes and valuesthat are self-defeating and promoteconformity. Our dreams usually dealwith the values and expectations ofoutside groups by pointing out prob-lematic influences that have been in-ternalized. They can say, “Here’s acollective idea that has been inter-nalized and right now it is blockingyou from going forward in a creativelife.”

Dreams are a kind of immune sys-tem, protecting us from bad ideasor self-defeating, self-negatingideas, habits, things that we do toourselves. One of the big discover-ies I’ve had with Radical Dreaming isthat there is also a tremendous psy-chological immune system that isvery protective and I see dreams asa very real part of that psychologi-cal immune system. It makes sensethat, if we’re going to survive as aspecies, the immune system needs tobe operating on every level—not onlygenetically and physically—but alsopsychologically. Working with thedreams and our own life in a creativemanner can have a tremendous im-pact on society. In this sense, dream-work becomes a social responsibility,even an antidote to destructive ide-ologies as in the case of religious andpolitical extremists.

That’s what’s so amazing aboutwhat dreams do for us. They help usidentify and get rid of these waysof approaching life that have notcome from us but have been imposedon us. A lot of those things comefrom society, from other people,from schools and institutions. We’vebeen told we should do this or that,or live our life a certain way. We’retrying to survive in society and weneed to be involved in the world andthe groups around us, so dreams area warning system of the psyche say-ing “Hey, something has been inter-


nalized that is really self-destruc-tive.” It’s very difficult to separateourselves from what we’ve internal-ized. We need to be involved in theworld, but if we can’t also be cre-ative and authentic, then we’re notgoing to make too much of a differ-ence.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: So, by working with ourdreams more authentically, societycan be transformed?John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: I have found that dreamswant the individual to be a creativeintervention in society. I have yetto hear or read about a single dreamthat tells anyone what to do about aspecific issue in society or in a com-munity. However, I have worked withuncountable clients’ dreams thatfirst, facilitate the individual recon-necting with his/her own creativepotential and then, help him/her finda place in society and the world fortheir unique gifts. Society, or any‘group,’ is an abstraction comprisedof individuals who may have commonideals, geography, etc. Dreams mayindeed inspire creative projects orappear to predict some outer worldevents. But I am convinced that suchevents—while interesting synchro-nistic connections—should not dis-tract from the essential value of thedream, which is its transformativevalue for the individual. This trans-formative essence, in turn, enablesthe individual to actually make a dif-ference in the world while realizinghis/her own creative potential. Thatis how society is going to benefitfrom who we are, by each of us hav-ing the courage to live authenticallyand creatively.

Dreams, in my own experience aswell as that of many others, showthat all of us, all life—including in-animate matter—is deeply intercon-nected. Our dreams re-connect usto others and to our world. I’ve of-ten thought if extremists, terror-ists, etc., only understood theirdreams, they could not harm anyone.It’s so fascinating to me because Inever expected it: I realized thetwo books I’ve written are actuallyconnected in an interesting way. One

is about group dynamics, but then theRadical Dreaming is saying that theway you become valuable to yourgroup, culture, or society, is by be-coming, by being, uniquely yourself.

I think that there’s a broad il-literacy of dreams’ real value in theworld; most do not really know or un-derstand their value and how to re-ally work with their dreams. Then,even the people who are really seri-ous, really trying, are caught in acertain dogma or theory, whether it’sFreudian, Jungian, etc. It is hard,because we tend to gravitate to ‘ex-perts’ who tell us “This is how to in-terpret the dreams,” and often, un-fortunately, it involves a whole sys-tem. So if one particular kind of afigure shows up in your dream, well,that must be the shadow, or this my-thology. Well, that might be kind ofinteresting, and it might remindsomeone of that mythology, but un-less the person can just take thatimage and put it into practical use inhis/her own life, it doesn’t really doanything for them. I believe one hasto learn how not to put labels on thedream. I went through my own

More information about John Goldhammer and Radical Dreaming canbe found at http://radicaldreaming.com/

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struggle with that when I startedwriting Radical Dreaming... I startedhaving all these dreams saying “No,this is the person’s experience, don’tput any labels on it.”

V i c to r i a : V i c to r i a : V i c to r i a : V i c to r i a : V i c to r i a : I like that phrase,“ ...dreams want our life to be a cre-ative intervention in society.’”John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Dreams do it by startingwith the individual. If we are doingsomething we really love, there’s usu-ally something uniquely creative andparticular about how we do it. What-ever we are doing, there’s a uniquespark or genius that I believe is inevery person. Our particular collec-tion of gifts—who each of us is as aunique, authentic individual—that iswhat our dreams bring out. When webegin to live through our own centerof authenticity and uniqueness, wefeel fulfilled, our life has purposeand meaning and we are making a dif-ference.

Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Victoria: Dr. Goldhammer, I believeyou are certainly making a differ-ence! Thank you so very much.John G: John G: John G: John G: John G: Thank you, I’ve enjoyed it.℘


Through Walls of GlassThrough Walls of GlassThrough Walls of GlassThrough Walls of GlassThrough Walls of Glass

I dream of standing

in a crystal

box,

a house of windows

locked

frozen

expanded to thin, icy walls

that glisten in the sun.

And there,

through walls of glass,

I watch you saunter up from the beach

and enter,

next door,

your own transparent prison.

Now, caught in a fragile paradox of protection

that needs protecting, you must face an unrelenting

choice:

to stand and watch me through walls of glass

or to look the other way.

I continue to watch you.

am fishing for the deeper

pain:

that of seeing

or that of not being

seen.

©2004 Deborah Hillman

Dream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired PoetryDream Inspired Poetry

Sea of DreamsSea of DreamsSea of DreamsSea of DreamsSea of Dreams

Consciousness yields and s

l

i

p

on a slick

ice-covered creek that spills

into dream’s deep dark-deviant sea.

Within the psychic whirlpool,

repressive thoughts drown in truth’s lagoon,

where hope and fear and true desire

float to its surface as buoys.

Beneath those turbulent, sacred waters,

we dreamers are baptized each night,

healed by a spirit that retreats again

as dawn breaks on our thirsting world.

Shari O’Brien


Dream CollageDream CollageDream CollageDream CollageDream Collage


Synopsis:Synopsis:Synopsis:Synopsis:Synopsis:The protagonist of my novel, Maxim Jattwa Ederman,

inhabits an unspecified world, remarkably and evendisturbingly similar to our own. It is a world where theawakening person seeks purpose and meaning to individualexistence, seeks a sense of place, friendship, love, andan encounter and discourse with a God who can betrusted. It is also a world lost in ignorance, dominatedby deceit, violence and greed. Following a large, detailed,‘alchemical’ dream that is reinforced by external, wakingevents, the story hero sets out on a pilgrimage toexperience the content of his ‘identity as destiny.’ Hearrives at a corrupt and teeming megapolis called TheSemblance, which is short for The Semblance of theCities of the Plain. Here he meets new friends—anAfrican street singer, a Gypsy violinist, an alchemistseeking immortality—various ‘ romantic’ fringe dwellersclinging to the Old Culture and the Old Ways. In TheSemblance as well, Jattwa confronts the organized evilthat profits from injustice and spreading chaos, as hewitnesses a series of violent deaths. Traumatized, heflees into the remaining vestiges of planetary wilderness,searching for healing in solitude and communion withnature. Notwithstanding the healing that does occur,Jattwa realizes that his solitude also contains thedisease of isolation. Here again, in chapter 16, a major,motivating dream occurs. This dream chapter, calledThe Blue Androgyne, reintroduces significant alchemical/archetypal symbolism and prepares the way for thecoming of the main female character and love portionof the novel. Beyond this, the quest must and doesindeed continue, traveling from the sea to a mountainmonastery and eventually into a strange, surreal realm,where dream nightmare and nightmarish eco-history

The Dialogue of Becoming HumanThe Dialogue of Becoming HumanThe Dialogue of Becoming HumanThe Dialogue of Becoming HumanThe Dialogue of Becoming Human © Excerpted from a novel-in-progress by David Sparenberg ©2004

Dreams, Imagination & the NovelDreams, Imagination & the NovelDreams, Imagination & the NovelDreams, Imagination & the NovelDreams, Imagination & the Novel

merge and pose an ultimate challenge. I will not revealthe dramatic ending, because that is intended to be abreathtaking surprise.

I open my book with a foretelling quotation fromJoseph Campbell: Modern romance, like Greek tragedy,celebrates the mystery of dismemberment, which is lifein time. For the world, as we know it, as we have seen it,yields but one ending: the crucifixion of our heart withthe passing of the forms that we have loved.” Indeed, asignificant theme in the story is the struggle, internaland external alike, between the God-man who is crucifiedin consciousness through the suffering of creation andthe man-god who must sojourn between light anddarkness, seeking a gnosis that might result inenlightenment.

The project started on Oct. 24, 2003 and by Jan.24, 2004, three months later, I find myself completingchapter 18, out of an outlined projection of 28-30chapters. My intention is to have completed the novelby the Spring of ’04 and perhaps even located an agentand publisher. As it stands presently, I consider thatthis book may become volume one in a trilogy. If thatproves to be so, then volume one will be subtitled TheBook Of Questions, and volume two subtitled The BookOf Lives. The latter would recount a series oftransmigrations through the spiritual and cultural historyof humankind. I have not yet gotten to a title for volumethree, but would hope I would be at a place where somehonest answers might emerge, to help us all with thenightmares and dreams of the 21st century, which wewill either hide from, in the Governance of the Lusts, ormeet bravely in our converging quests for freedom andintegrity.


“Modern romance, like Greektragedy, celebrates the mystery of

dismemberment, which is life intime. For the world, as we know it,as we have seen it, yields but one

ending: the crucifixion of our heartwith the passing of the forms

that we have loved.”Joseph Campbell

PART ONEPART ONEPART ONEPART ONEPART ONEChapter One: ECCO HOMOChapter One: ECCO HOMOChapter One: ECCO HOMOChapter One: ECCO HOMOChapter One: ECCO HOMO

JJJJJattwa knew what menknow or come to know in thecourse of time: whosoever lives,eventually, inevitably dies. What isdying, what death, the grandquestion? Death is either oblivion,the ultimate terminus—eternity’ssingular absolute in the complexplethora and expanse of theuniverse—rendering all illusions,acts, artifacts and inclinationsabsurd, then null and void. Or, to thecontrary, death is life’s clarifyingscripture: a hermetical translationinto another alphabet andvocabulary; creation’s perfect glyph,but breathlessly articulated,colorlessly veiled, in a deliberatelyinitiatory Arcanum.

The origin of a life can beunderstood, observed, approachedwith intellect, remembered and evenapprehended by body and emotions.The trajectory of the years can betraced out with imagination’sfingernail, or reduced to scientificexplanation. But death is ever andeverywhere mystery.Notwithstanding millennia ofinquiry—the articles of faith—thegrand question mark is undiminished.It looms forever large and evenlargest. The silent footsteps, theunrelenting pursuit by death of theliving continues to motivate andorganize so much of the social world.So very much that is basic, profound;so much more that is distraction,delusion, collective extravagance.Yet every step in the pilgrimage ofsentient existence, what is it if not

an added term of liberation intouncertain but personalizeddistinction? “We are sculpted fromcontext into relief; ever toward theterrible freedom of becoming freestanding vectors of life! What is ourmortality; what immortality?” ThusJattwa would call out, feeling hisblood pounding in his temples, hishands clenched into anguished fists,dramatizing his heated words.

Yet after tedious decades offresh wounds and festering wounds,healings, and struggling laboriouslyfor the sweet yield of integrity, wasit but for dissolution? And to haveevery “I am” of humankind’sbecoming consumed in an apatheticholocaust of cosmic or chaoticnothingness? “Or is God death? AndGod only to be known with sustainedintimacy on the nether side ofdeath’s non-negotiable collection?”

The love-death dance of God ishaunting, without mercy. From thedawning of consciousness onward,the mysteries have engenderedcultures of fear and architectonicsof awe. And transmigrations.

Jattwa yearned to experiencelife and explore love. To be familiarwith the soul and come to terms withdeath’s rendering. To know themanners and customs of the man-made world, with it hubbub lore ofstories and kaleidoscopic images; itsmyriad falsehoods, truncated motifs,and restless stirrings after what?,even the intimation of truth: thewide thoroughfares of history andthe narrow dead ends of forgottenlives. Nature: with the ways to Godand the bliss of sanctified, mind-altering visions. And to gain, too,down to his bones in trust, thatspecial power and incarnatemythology of identity as destiny: thedialogue of an individual’s becominghuman.

He was called Jattwa Dreamer,because his eyes were a blessing,awake or asleep, deep with nuanceand wonder. He listened to slendermurmurings of inner and nocturnalvoices; subtleties of intuitive

guidance. Often the ineffable, theunseen, was believed in by him asmuch, if not more, than the flat heftand smooth solidity of a riverbankstone. In spirit, he possessed therelentlessness of heroic courage. Yetan innate sensibility, a reverence, ithad been remarked, cleansed him ofbitterness and bloodlust.

A quiet, reserved man, withpreternatural sensitivities, Jattwalived in a river stone and mountaintimber house, made by his own hands,built securely on one bank of a fleetrushing river, wide and foreversinging. There were long breaks oflinden trees along both riverbanks.And snow topped mountains toweredin the eastern distance, adding steepverticality to the far horizon. In theseason of Spring, the lindens wouldbud in harmony, playing their greennubs against the elegant whitebodies of neighboring birch trees. Inthe season of Fall, the lindensdropped their colorful, heart-shapedleaves onto the floating mirror of thebi-locating river: she (like anelemental divinity) who is always inpassage and changing; she—like untoan inspirational theme in themusicality of landscape—constant,present.

Jattwa’s house was at one edgeof a small town. The confluence oftwo rivers—one wending to the coast,the other traversing the length ofthe narrow, green valley—borderedthe southern and eastern sides ofthe Arcadian community ofeccentrics and recuperativeneurotics, of tree huggers, craftspeople, potters and weavers, eco-poets and tree stump philosophers.In this safe haven, this rustic placeoff the beaten path of time andtrouble, Jattwa dwelled, living hisreclusive, contemplative, yet all toooften, melancholy life.

The wind blew mild down therivers’ valley, like the breath of asleeping woman. Sheep wandered andfed over the rolling hills. Rain fellgently and often, giving color tosweet clover, and rise to gardens of


savory herbs, vegetables, and pretty,aromatic flowers.

At dust and dawn, and often uponthe midnight hour, Jattwa humbledhimself in prayer; wholly opening histender, passionate heart; addressingthe unknown God he longed to meetand surrender his bountiful love to.

Often, at the close of hismidnight adorations, Jattwa wouldsit out of doors, wrapped in hisfavorite woolen cloak, studying thedeep, dark sky. Especially when themoon was full, breathing with thehidden life of night, he watched untilhis meditations merged with theaesthetic of metamorphic clouds andthe visual music of star andmoonlight. Gradually, sleep and thedominion of dreams invited him.Gladly then the man voyaged to thatother reality of free play andancestral discovery.

PART TWOPART TWOPART TWOPART TWOPART TWOChapter Seventeen:Chapter Seventeen:Chapter Seventeen:Chapter Seventeen:Chapter Seventeen:

WOMANWOMANWOMANWOMANWOMAN

TTTTThe woman was of mediumheight and womanly , verywomanly, even exquisitelyproportioned. Nothing overdone,nothing underdone. Pure. Natural.Beautiful. Her hair was long, dark,yet with an auburn sheen thatshimmered like an aura in sunlight.Her eyes were large, warm,expressive, emotional, soulful. Therewas a gentle delicateness andsubtlety in the movement of hereyelids, with their accompanyingthick lashes and overarching, winglike brows. Her lips were full,sensual; her cheekbones high andwell defined. And her complexion,which combined the coloration ofripened olive with that of the damaskrose, hinted at an ancestry from thelands surrounding the middle sea.

Her name was Inna-Inna BlancaBenoit. She lived alone, orphaned,in a cottage on high ground, awayfrom the strand, but overlooking theendless expanse, with endless

rocking, of the living ocean. Herhome was made of stone, decoratedwith bits of curiously shapeddriftwood that three generationsof Benoit women had helped tocollect and fit into windowcasements, doorways and walls. Theocean offering sculptures ofgenealogy to memorialize the familyline. Behind the house was a garden,which grandmother Blanca had firstcultivated, rich in its variety ofsavory and medicinal herbs,succulent vegetables, and prettyflowers that invited bees, mothsand butterflies, painting the groundwith a full palette, refreshing theair with sweet perfumes. Beyondthe garden was arbor, trellis, arunning wooden fence, gray fromweather and age, all thick with theknotty tendrils, snaky coils andbroad, heavy leaves of high yieldinggrapevines: Concord, BlackFredonia, Catawba.

Inna’s father and brother hadboth been fishermen, both had diedas conscripted soldiers in one of theso-called ‘holy wars,’ which stuffedthe coffers of a few resource-profiteers, while condemning entiregenerations to wholesale slaughterand atrocities. Within two years oflosing first her son then herhusband, Inna’s mother hadsuccumbed to grief and cancer—theother plague of the ensanguined eraresulting from the Pure WarCampaign, the Wish, against earth,air and planetary water. The youngwoman, like countless others in thewounded world, was alone, survivingas best she could.

But Inna managed and somehoweven triumphed over circumstances,being, by nature, resourceful andgifted with exceptional intelligence.Indeed, native intelligence—inquisitive, instinctual, alert—neverdeserted her. This; along with theinheritance of the family home andlinage firmly rooted in the OldCulture was the woman’s savinggrace, as well as the bane ofexistence and cause for her solitude.

Early on, many men had pursuedthis beauty, with her searching eyesthat glowed with pool like infusions ofhoney-amber light, and werethreshold to her charm, herpassionate soul, her erotic flesh.Every young man longed to win her asa lover, only afterward to withdraw;daunted, intimidated; outraged, bythe seriousness of her mind, theindependent profundity of her spirit.So true and oft repeated was thispattern of attraction followed byrejection, abandonment, that as yearspassed by rumors spread that Innapossessed uncanny, possibly occultpowers: that she could predict futureevents, communicate with animals andtrees, interpret dreams, holdintercourse with elemental spirits,and even summon back thedisembodied dead. That eventuallyher beauty—notwithstanding the wayit enthralled the senses and arousedcarnal desire—became moreformidable than inviting.

Once, for a brief interval, a fewcarefree months, she had enteredinto relationship with an older man.He was pleasant-natured, thoughtfuland respectful: neither simple norcrude. Moreover, the good manconsidered himself extremelyfortunate to look upon, touch andshare in the aesthetic ecstasy ofInna’s exquisite beauty. She was fondof him too, and trusted.Unfortunately, the gentleman wasphysically frail and often ailing.Although this did not disturb Inna,the man felt he had to prove himselfable, more manly, to match the robustvitality of a healthy, younger woman.

One day her lover drowned on astorm tossed sea, trying to master aboat he could hardly handle even inplacid and clement weather. Ofcourse, such accidents are not lookedat as accidents by those who live withthe ocean. The great water takesback from the ones who take theirlivelihood from her. The drowned arethe ocean’s tribute, which she garnersinto the liquid cold of her belly-vault,howsoever and whensoever the mood


comes upon her.Since this tragic death, Inna had

dwelled alone. She maintainedherself with a bit of fishing, a bit ofgardening, through weaving blankets,robes, shawls, to barter with herneighbors, and by providing herbalremedies: teas, poultices, fairy-charms and ‘dream talk’ for peopleof the coast. For others, too, thosefurther away, who heard of her goodreputation and learned to trust thepractical sagacity of the sea-woman’scountry doctoring.

Inna had grown more reserved.The strong, quiet dignity anddeepening of her thoughts andemotions through suffering hadenhanced her still youthful beauty.Yet she embraced the convictionthat who she was was her destiny.That it was unlikely that anyone inthe wide world would or could evercome to know and intimately sharethe complex abundance of heridentity—as either person, or as awoman.

She kept a cat, usually as silentas its meditative mistress, and a wildeyed, stiff-haired, Nubian goat,whose bleating complaints andcompliments brought on songs andbouts of girlish laughter. ℘

David Sparenberg is first a poet,

then a playwright, a storyteller and

now a novelist in the making. The

writing here is from his novel-in-

progress THE DIALOGUE OF

BECOMING HUMAN, which will be

completed in the Spring of 2004.

The author invites reader feedback

and can be contacted via email at

[email protected]. David

lives in Seattle, WA.115 21st Ave.

E. #2, Seattle, WA 98112

Phone 206.722.3584

Courses on

Mythic StoriesMythic StoriesMythic StoriesMythic StoriesMythic Stories in Depth Psychology

with Jonathan Young, Ph.D.

Storyteller • Psychologist • Founding Curator

Joseph Campbell ArchivesContinuing Education Credit Available

Call 805 687-7171 for brochure

or browse folkstory.com

SHESHESHESHESHE

She arrives.

And her dream is daylight;

her dream is night.

She arrives.

And her face is a mirror.

She is one with the land.

The land listens to her:

to the trace of her footsteps,

the sigh of her breath,

to the sound of her heart.

She arrives.

She is deep with the earth

and the

earth deeply loves her.

He wonders

who she is, strong and

quiet beside him.

Her eyes are beautiful:

the gift of embrace

in the black-gold of night.

She arrives, her flesh,

her soul,

out of air and eternity,

out of earth and the sea.

David Sparenberg


“Miracles happen, according tomy mother,” Al related to me overdinner. “She’s got a relative whowent to that Lourdes Shrine. Hada healing.” He leaned back as thewaitress put a plate of food infront of him..

“You don’t have to go toLourdes,” I said. “I’ve had a fewmiracles happen right here.”

“Tell me how, where? I’moverdue for one.” Al actuallypushed his plate aside and gave mehis full attention.

“I get messages in my dreamsfor myself and for others,” Ianswered.

“And then what?” Al paused,waiting to hear more.

“People ask me to dream forthem. They ask questions aboutretiring, buying boats, running foroffice, or whatever is foremost intheir minds. My dreams providethe answers to their questions.”

“How do you know for sure thedreams are for them?”

“Each time I dream, some factabout their life I didn’t knowbefore is shown to me.” I pushedmy salad with my fork thinkingwhat else I needed to tell him.

“I need a dream,” Al said. “Twomonths ago, my partner in ourrestaurant business took off withall our money. Cleaned me out. I’mliving off my mother. I’m 56 yearsold, for crying out loud. How do Istart over? Where are myretirement funds coming from?”

The rest of the evening passedquickly with Al sharing many of hisfears and worries with me.

That night as I lay back on mypillow, a vision of Al’s essence,

something basic to his being, sweptthrough my consciousness. A nightof dreams had begun.

Someone pounded on my door,rudely waking me.

After checking the doors to myhome, reality finally became clear.No one was there. I should haveknown it was a dream vision. Mydog would be barking if someonewas at the door! I wrote it on thepad of paper I always keep next tomy bed.

As I lay back, fears about Alentered my mind. What did I knowabout him? At dinner he boastedof his Mafia connections — peoplehe’d known in high school. Hementioned names we’d read in thenewspaper. Were they just oldacquaintances? What, or who, wasI letting into my mind? Still, Godhad clearly brought him to me. Godwould protect me. I went to sleep.

My dreams that night showedAl repairing faucets in anapartment while the residentswatched. Next, he was repairingsomething with wood. All night hewent up and down stairs, carryingtools. Then I saw him smiling hisway to a bank with full pockets.

Early the next morning, Al wasat my door.

“So, that’s what I saw in mydreams,” I related over coffee.“Does it mean anything to you?”

“Yeah. I trained to be acarpenter, first job out of school.Over the years, I bought a fewapartment houses and then soldthem to start the restaurant. I’vetorn out walls and fixed all kinds ofplumbing.”

“There are multiple dwellings in

this area that should be easy tobuy. Is that a possibility?” Iasked him.

“Sure is. You got the answer,”Al was thinking out loud. “Fixer-uppers are perfect for me. Makethe repairs, collect the rents, andwho needs to retire?”

“Carol, I’d like to pay you.You’ve helped me more than youcan imagine. I have actually beenconsidering suicide. Now I have areason to go on.”

“Having a chance to help ispayment enough.”

“How about a sliding glass door,right here, and a deck?”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I canafford the lumber right now,” Ireplied..

“I’m a carpenter, remember?That means I’ve got connections.”He jotted a name and phonenumber on a piece of paper. “Callthis guy. Mention my name andthat I need wood for a job. He’llgive it to you at wholesale price.Come on. Let’s go out and measureup what you’ll need.”

Once again, in sharing mydreams, I was able to give someonea gift. My own reward is therealization that God, the angels,some superior being, offered methe opportunity to solve a problemin another’s life. This time Ireceived a bonus! A sliding glassdoor and a deck!

In the several years since allthis happened, I’ve learned that Alis now a building inspector for thecity, which seems just about right,considering what I saw in thedream. ℘Contact Carol at [email protected]

Dreaming for OthersDreaming for OthersDreaming for OthersDreaming for OthersDreaming for Others

Ò Overdue for a MiracleOverdue for a MiracleOverdue for a MiracleOverdue for a MiracleOverdue for a MiracleÓ

by Carol Oschmann

Carol Oschmann with her Husband


ASD

When Olaf Gerlach Hansen first volun-teered to coordinate the Association forthe Study of Dreams 21st Annual Confer-ence in Copenhagen, Denmark, he had noidea that the event would be celebratedby another major arrival in his life, the birthof his first son shortly before Christmas.␣

Still, Olaf has a lot of experience inorganizing international conferences, so hesoldiered on, with the support of an excel-lent conference committee. Registrationfor the conference (in Euros or dollars)can be done online at www.asdreams.orgor through the ASD’s central office.

“The interdisciplinary nature and com-bination of natural, social, religious, thera-peutic, artistic and human interest in dreamsof ASD captures me,” Olaf says. As Di-rector of the Danish Center for Culture andDevelopment, his work revolves around in-tercultural communication.

“ASD is a postmodern, post-coloniallaboratory in creating a foundation for

multiple new models around the world,”he notes, and this conference is his owncontribution to the creation of these newmodels.

Pre-conference planning involves trans-lation of ASD’s information into a multi-tude of languages and the encouragementof conference presenters from Nigeria, Tur-key, Russia and many other countries, whowill speak on subjects as widely varied as“Dreams in the Koran” and “ShamanicDreaming in Northern Europe.”

In Copenhagen, conference sessions willbe held from June 18-22, 2004 at theRoyal Academy of Arts, with its beautifulview of the water, while conference par-ticipants will be housed in local hotels(deep discounts for early conference reg-istrants). Questions about the conferencecan be directed to the ASD central officein California by calling (toll free in the NorthAmerica) 1-866-DREAM12 (866-373-2012) or by visiting the conference pagesat the ASD web site.

EXCITEMENT GROWS OVER ASD’S COPENHAGEN CONFERENCE


MMMMMany of us use dreamdictionaries for finding mean-ings to one- word symbols. One-wordsymbol meanings can be helpful andfun to use, but there is also dangerof taking dream dictionary meaningsas absolute. Dream symbol meaningsoftenÊvary depending on particularsituations, and vary greatlyÊfromperson to person, which is whyunderstanding your own personalmeanings for dream symbols is soimportant to interpreting your owndreams.

An important key in under-standing your own dream symbolismand your personal meanings in dreamsare what we call “symbol phrases” —learning the meanings of yoursymbols by examining the contextbeyond simple one-word objects. Tounderstand the importance of symbolphrases just consider how often weuse context in our waking life. Evena simple “Hello” can carry infinitemeanings based on the event thatprecipitates this one-word greeting,the listener’s thoughts and attitudesabout the person speaking, and so on.The same is just as true for dreams.

We will tell you more aboutsymbol phrases later, but first aquick background of how we becameco-researchers and how Evelynbecame so deeply steeped indreamwork that it led her to the six-step Personalized Method forInterpreting Dreams (PMID™) (1)

that she teaches and we research today.A dream about a “quiet Black man

with an unshaven beard” led Evelynto inquire of Bruce Bynum’s interestin helping research the PMID™dream interpretation method. Dr.Bynum said yes. We now conductongoing projects with students; soyou see our research is not limitedto the experimental lab. Dreamsaccommodate to essentially anytheory (2) and the PMID ™ dreaminterpretation method accommo-dates to essentially any type learning– especially self-facilitation.

Evelyn’sÊdream about a “many-colored ‘dream’ cloth”Êover hershoulders (prompted by herhusband’s question “Wonder if Ev’sdreams could be helpful to her”),gave her confidence to begin intensework with her dreams. In theprocess, Evelyn developed thePMID™ dream interpretationmethod. Although she was a highlyrated accounting professor at thetime, she followed her heart (and herdreams) into earning a counseloreducation masters degree to supporther credibility for teaching dream-work. Today teaching others how tointerpret their own dreams is the “loveliest and most fulfilling work Ihave done.”

Now back to explaining whatsymbol phrases are and how theygreatly accelerate your understand-ing of your dream symbols.

Awakening PersonalAwakening PersonalAwakening PersonalAwakening PersonalAwakening PersonalMeaningsMeaningsMeaningsMeaningsMeanings

with Symbol Phraseswith Symbol Phraseswith Symbol Phraseswith Symbol Phraseswith Symbol PhrasesWe have found the dreamer’s

ability to bridge the gap fromdefining one-word symbols todefining the phrase that contains thesymbol is very often a major key tocapturing the “unique-to- the-individual meanings.” An example ofa one-word symbol is door. Oneuniversal meaning of the word, door,is “opportunity.” An example of asymbol phrase is “I lock the cardoors,” which one dreamer under-stood to mean, “I think I have toprotect myself from danger withoutmy husband with me ‘on the road oflife.’” Another dreamer understood“I closed the door” to mean he hadovercome a difficult relationshipissue that was represented in his dream.

The phrase that contains thesymbol helps the dreamer connectdefinitions to the context of thedream, the context being pre- dreamevents, pre-dream thoughts andexperiences with people, places andobjects. Selecting key symbolphrases is a judgment evaluation bythe dreamer as to which dreamphrases are the most personallymeaningful. Dreamers’ spontaneousfeelings are the best gages for

Awakening Personal Meanings Awakening Personal Meaningswith Symbol Phrases,

Systems Effects,and More

By Evelyn M. Duesbury and E. Bruce Bynum

In-Depth Dreamwork In-Depth Dreamwork In-Depth Dreamwork In-Depth Dreamwork In-Depth Dreamwork &&&&& Certification O.N.L.I.N.E. Certification O.N.L.I.N.E. Certification O.N.L.I.N.E. Certification O.N.L.I.N.E. Certification O.N.L.I.N.E.


knowing the relative accuracy ofmeanings she or he has developed.

Next are examples of symbolphrases that dreamers selectedfrom their dreams. For purposes ofthese examples, we added words tothe definitions to show dreamers’connections to the context of theirdreams.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Decide to be friendly with

person:” Way to overcome trace ofstressful emotions about the personin this dream is to think friendlythoughts about her. (She was alsoimplicated in a dream that I revisitedlast night.)

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Did not spend time with my

friend Sara Emerson:” Reprimandsme for skipping meditation yesterdayafter I decided my uninterruptedwork was more important. Sara’s lastname “Emerson” reflects myappreciation for Ralph WaldoEmerson’s philosophy to think fromthe highest perspective, somethingmeditation helps me do.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Does not want to hear what I

have to say:” Be cautious aboutreminiscing in remorseful ways. Inthe dream, a childhood friend thinksI am going to talk about activitiesthat she might have been involved in.Last night I almost went into talkingremorsefully about this friend.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Finally tell Joleatha that I need

to bring my spouse home:” Successfulovercoming of unfounded worrythoughts about whether my spousewas upset by my actions early thismorning. Joleatha tends towardgross overreaction.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Healthy mom urges me to dress

well:” After working throughmothering issues, get on with wearingthose personality characteristics.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“House being cold:” The sadness

and heaviness that was felt throug-

hout our house when we argued lastnight.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“I missed our very fine little girl

friendship:” These words that I sayto a childhood friend in the dreamlets me know the true way I feltwhen my very fine childhood friendbegan preferring other friends. Lastnight I thought about the friendshipbut decided not to talk remorsefullyabout it.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈“Lack of food:” Lack of food

seemed to me to be saying I’m notgetting enough emotional nourish-ment. All there was, was booze. I’mwondering where’s the meat (thesubstance). This ties to my lastnight’s worry thoughts about Victor’salcohol consumption.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

YourGuidingDreams.comoffers our DreamScan™ (latesttechnology to instantly findingmeanings to one-word symbols), foruse as “thought-starters.’ Dream-Scan™, free to visitors on the site,is fun to use, and many of thosemeanings reflect the context of thedream.. HOWEVER, the best way tofind “unique-to-the-individual”meanings is to go beyond one-wordsymbols to defining symbol phrases.YourGuidingDreams.com gives in-structions to members for definingsymbol phrases.

The Dreamwork SystemsThe Dreamwork SystemsThe Dreamwork SystemsThe Dreamwork SystemsThe Dreamwork SystemsPerspectivePerspectivePerspectivePerspectivePerspective

PMID™ step 6 uses a dreamworksystems approach to understandingdreams about relationships. Adreamwork systems approach ismindful of family systemic models,except, instead of the family orother major relationships comingtogether in personal counselingsessions, an individual studies seriesof dreams about various majorrelationships, primarily the family.(See the PMID™ steps in the box).

Personalized Method forPersonalized Method forPersonalized Method forPersonalized Method forPersonalized Method forInterpretation DreamsInterpretation DreamsInterpretation DreamsInterpretation DreamsInterpretation Dreams

(PMID™)(PMID™)(PMID™)(PMID™)(PMID™) StepsStepsStepsStepsSteps

Step 1:Step 1:Step 1:Step 1:Step 1: Connect your dreamcontents to current events andcircumstances (most often, sameday) to determine the context ortheme of your dream.Step 2: Step 2: Step 2: Step 2: Step 2: Connect your pre-dreamthoughts (most often, same day) toyour dream contents by treating thedream as a responsive answer to yourpre-dream thoughts.Step 3:Step 3:Step 3:Step 3:Step 3: Develop your personalexperienced-based definitions ofdream symbol/symbol phrasemeanings (or associations about)each dream character, place, objector circumstance.Step 4: Step 4: Step 4: Step 4: Step 4: Explore the emotions youfelt during your dream. Compare toyour waking emotions. Also,periodically compare to previousdreams for changes in emotions overtime about a relationship or issuebeing studied.Step 5: Step 5: Step 5: Step 5: Step 5: Explore dream for possiblesuggestions of how to changethoughts, attitudes or behaviorleading to understanding andreduction of key issues.Step 6:Step 6:Step 6:Step 6:Step 6: Who is the primaryrelationship in this dream? Commenton your dreaming reactions to/relationship with any person(s) in thisdream. Also, comment on whetherthis dream reflects current effectsfrom past or recent experiences withanother or others. If so, comparehow you related/reacted in the pastwith your current reactions in similarcircumstances.

To demonstrate the dreamworksystems perspective, we present asynopsis of Katharine’s series ofdreams. After each of the first fourdreams and interpretations, Evelyngave feedback (through theinstructor-facilitated universitycourse) on Katharine’s PMID methoduse. Katharine interpreted herremaining dreams without facilitation.

To set the background for theprimary relationship issues Katharinefaced, we take a couple sentences


from Katharine’s first dreamwork. “Ihave recurrent emotions of guilt andresponsibility. I often feel like Ineed to keep everyone happy and notcause conflict, and that I must takeon other people’s views on certainthings.” Then, well into her work withdreams, Katharine wrote, “A commonthread (in my dreams) seems to bethat I am not responsible for otherpeople’s feelings and I cannot carrythat burden of feeling like I need tomake people feel a certain way.”Dream series follows:

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈Dream One: “Family Crash.”Dream One: “Family Crash.”Dream One: “Family Crash.”Dream One: “Family Crash.”Dream One: “Family Crash.”

Katharine is driving, the wholefamily is in the car, she loses

control and the car crashes. Thenight before the dream, Katherinefelt guilty for letting her family

down because she could not go withthem to a football game.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Dream Two: “VictorianDream Two: “VictorianDream Two: “VictorianDream Two: “VictorianDream Two: “VictorianMansion.”Mansion.”Mansion.”Mansion.”Mansion.” “Victorian vs. present

day,” could symbolize being out ofplace… me caretaking my mom…

which is out of place.” On one floorare children who “died at about age

four.” “I can remember at a veryyoung age, about four, being left at

daycare, and being so upset thatmy mom was leaving, and wanting tocry, but not letting myself, becauseI knew that would make it hard for

her to leave.” The night beforethis dream, Katharine worried

about her mom’s “too quiet”attitude.

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Dream Three: “Blocked Path.”Dream Three: “Blocked Path.”Dream Three: “Blocked Path.”Dream Three: “Blocked Path.”Dream Three: “Blocked Path.”Katharine is the only family

member brave enough to leave thehouse to make a delivery to a

neighbor.. Dead animals in her path(“possibly any negative emotions/situations my family is unwilling to

deal with”) prevent her fromgetting back to the family. The

family watches with “we told youso” looks on their faces. “I feel

guilty… and very alone… andscared.”

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Dream Four: “Bullets.”Dream Four: “Bullets.”Dream Four: “Bullets.”Dream Four: “Bullets.”Dream Four: “Bullets.”A roommate is shot. Katharinetries to stop the bleeding. The

night before the dream, Katherinetried to stand up for a roommate

who did not defend herself.≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Dream Five: “Going Back toDream Five: “Going Back toDream Five: “Going Back toDream Five: “Going Back toDream Five: “Going Back toHigh School”High School”High School”High School”High School”—a breakthrough

dream. Katharine gathers courageto give a dead cat back to a highschool boyfriend after he leavesthe dead cat in her locker. “As I

walk back down the hall, I feel veryrelieved and freed.” The night

before the dream the friend, nowseveral years past high school,

“pouted” when she declined a datewith him, as he did during high

school days. “I need to putMarshall’s childish behavior back

on him and… refuse to carry aroundthat worry.”

≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈Dream Six:Dream Six:Dream Six:Dream Six:Dream Six: “Painting in the“Painting in the“Painting in the“Painting in the“Painting in the

Basement”Basement”Basement”Basement”Basement” came one night afterKatharine, for the first time, tolda long-time friend, Paige, that shedisapproved of Paige’s treatment

of a young man. In the dream,Katharine invites Paige to “paint inthe basement.” Paige resists. “Meeventually going back upstairs:”

“Represents me (Katharine)realizing I can’t force Paige to look

deeper into herself….”≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

Dream Seven: “NobodyDream Seven: “NobodyDream Seven: “NobodyDream Seven: “NobodyDream Seven: “NobodyBelieves Me” Believes Me” Believes Me” Believes Me” Believes Me” (a dream she hadbefore the course, but was “too

freaked out” to work with it, cameagain during the course). Katharinefirst watches a sister bury a deadperson in the back yard. Finally,

Katharine comes out from “ Hidingbehind a bush: My own fear of notknowing how to confront my sister”and “Stands next to my sister: This

represents me confronting mysister, but also supporting her withthis problem.” Before the dream,Katharine asked her parents totalk with this daughter about a

disorder that seemed quite plain to

Katharine. “They didn’t believe me.”(They don’t believe her in the

dream either.)(Dreamer’s Summary): (Dreamer’s Summary): (Dreamer’s Summary): (Dreamer’s Summary): (Dreamer’s Summary): “Commonwith other dreams is the focus onme expressing myself more even ifit is scary because I am not used toit. In “Family Crash,” I am in thedriver’s seat, and in the “BlockedPath” dream, I am the one to bebrave, and in “Nobody Believes Me,”I am the one to take charge and gostand by my sister. This message isvery clear to me that I have thepower to change things that I don’tlike, even if I may not necessarilychange how others respond. I canchange my own actions, which doesaffect the system.”

A major aim for the PMID™method is to help people in thecurrent generation make healthfuldifferences in their own lives, thusterminating potential unhealthfulpatterns. For several years, co-author E. Bruce Bynum has suggesteda “personalized” view of an extendedfamilial system. In his explorationsof dreams with individuals and withfamilies in therapy, he has foundpeople in close association, such asthe family, resonate with each otherin such a way that dreams of eachfamily member express the family’semotional situations. This sharedmatrix that exists within andbetween us, interlaces us all in anenfolding field, in a Family Uncon-scious. Though dreams of each familymember reflect the family constell-ation, individual’s dreams differ,depending on the individual’s parti-cular skew or perception of thefamily constellation and conflicts (4, 5).

Though we concentrate on rela-tionship dreams, the PMID™ Methodis equally useful for “everyday”guidance in common activities, suchas home, work, recreation, career,education, and health. Simplyeliminate PMID™ Step 6. Examplesof what we call everyday dreams arethe two dreams published by DreamNetwork (6).


How to Become Involved inHow to Become Involved inHow to Become Involved inHow to Become Involved inHow to Become Involved inUnderstanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your DreamsUnderstanding Your Dreams

with the PMID™ Methodwith the PMID™ Methodwith the PMID™ Methodwith the PMID™ Methodwith the PMID™ MethodWould you like to use the Personalized Method

for Interpreting Dreams (PMID™) as you recordyour dreams in your personal dream journal? If yes,use the six steps shown earlier in this article.

Or, would you like to use one of www.YourGuid-ingDreams.com options to help you work with thePMID™ dream interpretation method? If yes, goto www.YourGuidingDreams.com to select fromthese two options.

Both options are very user friendly.1. Public Membership. Dreamer Self-facil-tated, the public option is not an education creditcourse. Applicants enter and leave when they wish.Some functions for Public Membership are:

a. Record and interpret your dreams usingÊthecomputer-guided steps of the PMID™ dreaminterpretation method.b. Participate in discussions on a discussionboard.c. Dream files by date, title, and relationship,automatically created.d. Your symbol/symbol phrase definitionsautomatically compiled in your personaldirectory.

2. University Level Courses - Instructor-facilitated through the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater available at graduate and under-graduate levels to counselor education, social work,psychology, and sociology majors or graduates. Out-of-state Tuition rates apply to all states exceptWisconsin and states with reciprocity agreements.

To sign-up for either option, click on Sign-upfrom the home page of www.yourguidingdreams.com.

Dreams are “personal.” Your dreams are personal.All member dreams and interpretations are keptconfidential and are available for viewing only by theindividual dreamer member and select members ofYourGuidingDreams staff.

Whether you use the website, or record your dreamsin a journal, the PMID™ dream interpretation methodcould benefit you. Think about it. You likely already sensethat many of your pre- dream events and thoughtsconnect to your dreams. You possibly have heard aboutcomparing dreaming emotions and waking emotions, andthat dreams contain solutions. The PMID™ dreaminterpretation method does all those and more—frominviting you to define dream symbol phrases based onpersonal experiences, to inviting you to explore whetherstressful reactions to others stem from your reactionsin prior experiences. ℘

References:References:References:References:References:(1) Duesbury, E. (2000). Utilizing Dreams from a SystemicPerspective to Understand and Mollify Relationship Issues,University of Wisconsin-Whitewater(2) Duesbury, E. (2001). Personalized Method forInterpreting Dreams (PMID) – As Applied to RelationshipIssues. Dreaming: Journal of the Association for the Studyof Dreams, 11(4), 203- 216.(3 Mahrer, A. R. (1989). Dreamwork in Psychotherapy andSelf- Change(4) Bynum, E. B. (1993/2003). Families and theInterpretation of Dreams: Awakening the Intimate Web.NY: Paraview Books.(5) Bynum, E. B. (1984). The Family Unconscious. Wheaton,IL: The Theosophical Publishing House.(6) Duesbury, E. Dream Network. Vol. 13, 2 Professor UsesDreams as Guides in Working with Students.

Evelyn M. Duesbury, MS Counselor Education, teaches the PMID

dream interpretation course for University of Wisconsin- Whitewater

through the University Distance Education Dept.

E. Bruce Bynum, Ph.D. ABPP, is Director of Behavioral Medicine,

University of Massachusetts Health Services, Amherst, MA.


Abstract:Abstract:Abstract:Abstract:Abstract:

This clinical case study shows how a seriesof dreams guided a 3 1/2 year psychotherapytreatment. The client’s dreams illustrate theintelligence of the unconscious in address-ing issues of prolonged bereavement, depres-sion, sexuality, love, creativity, and helpingclarify the individual’s vocation and life goals.The study demonstrates how dreams pro-mote individuation through the emergenceof a personal, spiritual symbolism. Dreamsare recounted featuring the Father arche-type, the Anima, figures such as The SilverMan, The Old Homeless Man, The Dead Bear,Duke Ellington, and the symbolism of archaicmale initiation rites. The author notes re-curring symbols through the series ofdreams, and how the dreams allowed the cli-ent to work through emotionally chargedmemories and moods. The study illustratesin practical terms the catalytic role thatdreams can play in psychotherapy.

TTTTThe case study that follows demonstrates howdreams can help a psychotherapist guide a client, onestep at a time, through the labyrinth of personal change.Dreams illuminate developmental tasks and stir up rich,juicy material for therapeutic exploration. Dreams pin-point what the client needs to revisit from the past,what the client is feeling right now, and reveal emer-gent potentials, new directions, new possibilities. Theymove the therapeutic process forward with a power-fully healing influence.

The technique of dreamwork I utilize is simple. I askquestions about every image and every person appear-ing in the dream. I ask the client, What does this re-mind you of? I try to avoid foreclosing the meaning of adream and always remain open to alternative meanings,multiple interpretations.

Carl Jung referred to the dream as a text:"Every interpretation is a hypothesis, an attempt to

read an unknown text…. A relative degree of certaintyis reached only in the interpretation of a series ofdreams, where the later dreams correct the mistakeswe have made in handling those that went before…. I…urge my patients to keep a careful record of theirdreams and of the interpretations given…. At a laterstage I get them to work out the interpretations aswell. In this way the patient learns how to deal cor-rectly with the unconscious without the doctor’s help."(cited in Storr, 1983, pp. 178–9).

Jung believed that through dreams we can accessthe wisdom of the deep unconscious, which guides usand anticipates the future. In Jung’s view, the relationsbetween the ego and the unconscious occur through sym-bolism, through what he called the “uniting symbol” (p.225). “In symbols the union of conscious and unconsciouscontents is consummated. This union of opposites is the

Therapeutic DreamworkTherapeutic DreamworkTherapeutic DreamworkTherapeutic DreamworkTherapeutic DreamworkA Case Study with Mythic DimensionsA Case Study with Mythic DimensionsA Case Study with Mythic DimensionsA Case Study with Mythic DimensionsA Case Study with Mythic Dimensions

by Greg Bogart, Ph.D.

Dreamwork One-on-One in Therapy



Journey

1/2 page

transcendent function... This rounding out of thepersonality into a whole may well be the goal of anypsychotherapy that claims to be more than a merecure of symptoms” (p. 226). The dreams I describebelow illustrate vividly the union of opposites andthe rounding out of the personality into a whole, aswell as the transformative and catalytic role ofdreams in psychotherapy.

Dreams are the psyche’s means of self-heal-ing. Before introducing the main case study, let medescribe a brief example. A man named Joe, whowas very discouraged and depressed about his rela-tionships with women, having recently been dumpedby a woman who left him for another man, had thisdream: “I was swimming underwater. The water wasvery clear and warm with a lot of rich plant life grow-ing in it. I saw a rose that was my mother’s. Therose was on the surface and began to sink down to-ward the bottom. I saw how deep and vibrant itsred color was. It had no thorns. I caught it beforeit reached the bottom. It came to rest in my handand when I touched it, it began to open up and blos-som in my hand with a very powerful and loving en-ergy. Later it began to rise to the surface again.”Joe and I explored our associations to each part ofthe dream. Being underwater suggested being sub-merged, immersed in water, in his emotions, in theunconscious. The water is warm and life-giving, sug-gesting it is safe and life-enhancing to explore theunconscious. The Rose is a symbol of the Self, flow-ering, individuation. He said, “It reminds me of deep,honest love.” I said, “It is a symbol of your trueSelf and that at your core you are a man of deep,honest love.” He said, “It reminds me of unshakeable,unfailing love, like my mom’s love for me.” The redcolor of the rose suggests heat, passion, smolder-ing with feeling. He said, “I’m angry about beingderailed from being trusting, loving. I want to lovesomeone with all my heart.” The rose with no thornsevoked feelings of being defenseless, innocence,having no aggression, no thorns. It is an image ofvulnerability, of true, honest feelings. I said, “Therose coming to the surface suggests bringing intoconscious awareness from the depths of yourselfthe awareness that in your essence you are a manof deep, honest, open love.” One month after havingthis dream of the Rose, Joe met someone, fell inlove, they quickly moved in together, and he com-pleted his stint of brief therapy. End of story!

The Case StudyThe Case StudyThe Case StudyThe Case StudyThe Case StudyThe case I will present now involves a lengthy se-

ries of dreams that portrayed a client’s inner worldof memories, emotions, and emergent potentials.This client’s dreams illustrate the intelligence ofthe unconscious in addressing issues of bereave-ment, depression, sexuality and love, creativity, vo-


cation and life goals. This case study illustrates howdreams promote individuation through the emergenceof a personal, spiritual symbolism. We’ll note how cer-tain symbols reappear and evolve through this series ofdreams, and how the dreams allowed working throughof chunks of material, specific memories and moods.Often work with a dream led to weeks or months ofexploration of a particular issue or feeling. The dreamsI will recount were like an underground stream that ir-rigated the therapeutic process—nourishing, providingfocus and emotional depth. Through these dreams weencounter the intelligence of Psyche, the unconscious,that living, breathing, self-organizing medium that is thefocus of our work, and the object of our fascination, astherapists.

My client, whom I will call Chris, began seeing me whenhe was 28 years old, and I have been working with himweekly for three and a half years. He is an artist, andthe son of an artist. Chris has a college degree and iscurrently employed doing building maintenance for alarge business firm.

In our first session together (10/11/99), Chris in-formed me that, when he was six years old, his fatherdied at the age 41 from cancer. His father was a fol-lower of Christian Science and refused medical treat-ment. Chris said, “Dad’s death was never dealt with. Momwas overwhelmed with four kids. There was no funeral.I saw shrinks throughout high school and college. I haveproblems with lack of focus. I lost the momentum to doart after college because of the pressure of working tosupport myself. I’ve been experiencing a total creativeblock. I want to unfold my creativity, but I’m stuck. Thatis making me very depressed. I have very few friends. Ialso have a lot of issues in my three year relationshipwith Ann. I am confused about my sexual attraction tomen.” These were the main presenting issues. I quicklylearned that Chris was preoccupied with his father’sdeath, and that his artwork is filled with material thatrefers to this event.

About a month later Chris brought me this first dream(11/8/1999): “I am driving in a car in traffic in a subur-ban neighborhood. A little boy runs in front of me, 4 or5 years old. I jump out of the car. There are two kidsthere. I grab the younger child, being really tender. Ihug him very close, and tell him he has to be careful orhe could get hurt. The streets are dangerous; they aren’tfor kids to play in. The younger boy runs off, playingmischievously. I am shocked by his fearlessness.” Chriscomments, “The two boys were like a part of me, unsu-pervised, roving. I didn’t have a lot of adult supervisionas a kid.” “What did these kids look like?” “The youngerone was 4 or 5 years old with a blonde, Dutch boy hair-cut; he looked just like me. He seemed aloof, in his ownworld. I remember being very aloof.” I said, “Do youmean that after your dad’s death you were numb?” “Yes,I acted that way because I didn’t want others to see Iwas in pain. I was totally unemotional. I forced back

tears, tried to be strong.” “In the dream you are lookingat yourself as a little boy and embracing this part ofyourself.” “It reminds me of how my mother gave me awatch and I deliberately destroyed it by throwing itagainst a wall. I had a lot of pent-up anger, and I took itout on this watch my mom gave me.” Tears flow as Chrisrecounts this episode. The kids in the dream also re-mind Chris that as a child he always had imaginaryfriends; he remembered playing alone a lot. I ask Chriswhat it felt like to hug the boy: “I felt like a protectiveparent.” In the dream Chris is extending kindness to-ward himself, forming a relationship with this four-year-old part of himself.

The next dream (11/28/99) highlights Chris’ anxietyabout his desire for closeness with other men, and also,incidentally, seems to illustrate Freud’s tripartite modelof the id, ego, and superego. Chris dreams, “I am in apark where I see lots of men around, who are hangingout together, sitting on blankets, some walking hand inhand. I am interested in them but I am not a part of thegroup, just witnessing, observing. All of a sudden thereis a thunderous roar of surveillance helicopters whosepilots are patrolling and filming everything. The men inthe cockpit are taking photos or video of the men in thepark, spying on them. The pilots are hooting and holleringat the men below, laughing like giddy little kids. Theyact like they are in charge.”

Chris’s comments that the men in the park hold-ing hands remind him of an incident when several gaymen whistled at him in Golden Gate Park. The dreamevoked feelings of sexual curiosity about men, a themethat would occupy several therapy hours. Freud wouldsay these impulses emanate from the id, and are a causeof internal conflict for the dreamer. The men in thehelicopter cockpit (the pun is no doubt fully intended bythe unconscious) are surveying the scene, and seem un-comfortable and childish in their reaction to the othermen being affectionate with each other. They are sym-bols of the superego, internal judgement. They are ho-mophobic authority figures, who act like they’re in con-trol. Chris says, “These men remind me of my brother,who is extremely homophobic.” They are hovering above,assuming a position of superiority, as if they’re betterthan the men below. The pilots are like voyeurs, withcameras. They remind Chris of, “A part of me thatwatches, witnesses when around an openly gay environ-ment.” Witnessing suggests the perspective of ego con-sciousness trying to mediate the conflict between idand superego, impulse and restraining judgement. Themen hovering and watching from above contrast withthe men on the ground, who, Chris said, represent com-munity and overcoming isolation, not just men attractedto men. Chris is in the middle trying to sort this out andgain some perspective.

Dreams always have multiple meanings, not just one,and our interpretations should never become too literalor single-minded. I was interested in Chris’ comment that


the men in the park symbolized men having a good timetogether, developing a strong sense of community, over-coming isolation. This image evoked comments from Chrisabout his loneliness and desire for friendships with othermen. Since moving to the Bay Area three years earlierChris still did not have a single male friend. He is feel-ing isolated, and attributes a lot of his difficulty to thehomophobia he has faced—both in himself and in othermen—living in the Bay Area. He said the dream also re-minded him of men working together, artists sharingstudios, and also therapist and client working together.After working with this dream there was an internalshift from homosexual fantasies to a longing for malefriendship and for mentorship by older men, as well asacceptance of the emotional support and nourishmenthe derived from his regular therapy sessions with me.

Dreams of the FatherDreams of the FatherDreams of the FatherDreams of the FatherDreams of the FatherTwo months later, Chris had this crucial dream (1/

24/00): “I am in the woods in the middle of nowhere. Ihave not brought any food, clothes, a tent or sleepingbag. What should I do? I am totally unprepared. I starteating sticks with twigs and briars and thorns.” He says,“It reminds me of feeling alone and unprepared.” I say,“Like a child without a father.” I want to keep namingthis for Chris. He said, “I don’t know how to cope withthe world. I feel unequipped for my life.” “What doeseating thorns remind you of?” “It reminds me of Christwith the crown of thorns. It reminds me of my dad, andhow he martyred himself for his beliefs in ChristianScience. The strength of his faith carried him throughcancer eating his body.” I said, “The dream also evokesthe image of your own cross, your own suffering overthe loss of your father. Jesus said, ‘Father, father, whyhast thou forsaken me?’ The dream portrays your re-enactment of the Christ mythos, and the way you havebeen reliving your dad’s suffering over and over again.There is a sense of your sharing or participating in hissuffering. The dream is trying to unfold a resolution tothis drama.” This is an example of how the symbolsemerging from the deep unconscious connect us to amythic, transpersonal level of meaning. Chris has beenfixated on his father’s death, and the dream helps re-solve this predicament by revealing its archetypal core.

Seven weeks later, Chris dreams (4/3/00): “I am walk-ing through an underdeveloped part of town, on a dirtpath. Paul Auster, the novelist, walks with me. He waslike a mentor-father. I felt close to him. We may havebeen holding hands.” Here again are men connecting.Asked his associations to Paul Auster, Chris said, “I hada sense of him as the greatest father in the world. He isan artist who is uncompromising, utterly dedicated. Hefound it hard to make a living from his art when he wasyounger. But he stuck with it and he made it. Father-son is a prominent theme in his writing.”

So, too, father-son was a central theme in Chris’ heal-ing journey. Here he meets the Father-Artist, and ex-

periences closeness with this figure. He spent manytherapy hours recounting events that he wished his fa-ther had witnessed and participated in. At the same time,Chris was establishing a positive bond to me as a trustedguide. Developmentally, Chris needed just the rightamount of male attention and interest in his growth andunfoldment. Once this was internalized he was able tomove forward and make major choices about the direc-tion of his life.

The next dream a few weeks later repeats the themeof being unprepared (4/24/00): “I am with friends fromhigh school. We are climbing Mt. Fuji, at night. There issnow. We find a little cabin. I realized I am wearingshorts and a T-shirt. I was unprepared for the climb. Idecided to go back down.” Chris said, “Mt. Fuji remindsme of climbing the mountain of life.” I ask Chris abouthis friends from high school. He said, “Interestingly,one of these people recently got a photo editing jobwithout a lot of background. She had guts, she put her-self out. I admire that. I know I have a talent that Ihaven’t tapped. I have the resources inside me but Idon’t know how to make use of them effectively.” Beingunprepared on the mountain top suggests lack of fore-sight and planning, not looking ahead. Chris’ dream posesthe question, What is needed to climb the mountain, toreach the pinnacle of success and achievement? Thisechoes Daniel Levinson’s idea that climbing the ladderis a central metaphor and developmental task of adult-hood (Levinson, 1978). In the dream Chris retreats,climbs back down to safe ground. Chris wanted to makedecisions about his career and life direction, but hewasn’t quite ready. The path forward wasn’t clear. Itwasn’t yet time to ascend the mountain. It would in facttake two more years before Chris made the decisionsthat began to shape his life direction. He needed a lotof time to work through the past before new possibili-ties emerged. As so often occurs, the block, the com-plex, the client’s sense of frustration, often gets worseonce treatment gets underway.

The Dream of the See-Saw TrainThe Dream of the See-Saw TrainThe Dream of the See-Saw TrainThe Dream of the See-Saw TrainThe Dream of the See-Saw TrainThe next dream illustrates that sometimes it is thetherapist’s associations that lead the interpretation for-ward. Chris dreamed (5/8/00): “Standing in front of abridge. There are concrete walls as barriers at the outeredges of the bridge. I’m on the concrete wall hanging onto it. You got on a complicated contraption like a see-saw train from old movies; you pump yourself out to thebridge. Then you could cross the bridge. A little boywas next to me, about four years old. The boy was lean-ing back, starting to fall. I caught him. He didn’t knowwhat was happening.” Chris was perplexed by this dreamand didn’t have any initial associations. I prompted him,saying that the Bridge implied transition, crossing athreshhold. The pump suggests pressurizing a sense ofmotivation; “priming the pump,” building up a charge ofintention, purpose, desire, and ambition. I said, “Some-


thing about losing your father thwarted your sense ofambition. You felt it’s useless, what’s the point of try-ing?” “Yes. The little boy reminds me of Me. He wasvery serious, troubled; he wasn’t sure he liked where hewas. He reminds me of my childhood.” I said, “To crossthe bridge you have to hold this boy and keep him safe;you can’t let him fall. To cross the bridge you have toprime the pump, build a charge, get over the lethargyand hopelessness. The loss of your dad left you feelingthat there is no one to be proud of you.” “The dream issaying that I want to take myself and my ambitions moreseriously.” Sometimes the smallest dream fragment releases in-tense memories and affect (5/22/00). Chris dreamed:“I’m on a long bike tour in Connecticut. I rode around incircles. Chris said, “This reminds me of learning to ridea bike when I was 7 or 8. I was alone, I had trainingwheels. I rode around in circles a lot. A dominant memoryof my childhood is riding a bike and being alone. I hadelaborate fantasies about who I was with, a motorcyclegang or a group of friends.” The dream takes him rightback to that time, to the feeling of loneliness. I said,“This makes me think of a boy learning to ride a bikewith his dad watching, cheering him on, celebrating hisson’s achievement of autonomy. The dream evokes a con-scious memory of loss, of the absence you experienced,the loneliness of your childhood.” Chris replied, “I spoketo imaginary friends a lot.” And the session ended there.I wish I had asked him who his imaginary friends were.But I never did.

The Dream of the Homeless ManThe Dream of the Homeless ManThe Dream of the Homeless ManThe Dream of the Homeless ManThe Dream of the Homeless Man and the Lost Father and the Lost Father and the Lost Father and the Lost Father and the Lost Father

In his next session (5/29/00) Chris told me this signifi-cant dream: “In a café. I went to the bathroom. When Ireturn my art equipment bag is gone, and my meal hasbeen eaten. A man is sleeping in the window. He gets up.He is a black man, dishevelled, covered in blankets. Hehad the bag. I say to him, ‘You’ve got my bag.’ He scowled,looked me in the eye, handed me the bag, and walkedaway. When I saw he hadn’t put up a fight I felt sorryfor him and wanted to give him something, and I fol-lowed him. I found him sleeping in a car. Another blackman with gray hair was nearby watching. I ran away. Theguy was just watching. No one was chasing me, but Iwanted to run.”

Chris comments: “The art equipment symbolizes mycareer change issue, the whole issue of being an artist.It is stolen from me. The dishevelled, Homeless BlackMan reminds me of the Other, someone who is foreignto me. It reminds me of the only dream I ever had aboutmy dad.” And now Chris recounts for me this pivotaldream: “He [my father] is this homeless looking guy witha poncho on. He has something under the poncho. Is it a

backpack or a hump? He is a mystery to me. Is he home-less or does he live somewhere? He is the Wanderer,the Oppressed, a person the odds are against.” “Whatodds are working against you?” I asked. “My fears offailure, of lack of talent or business-savvy.” “You feelthat the loss of your father stacked the odds againstyou. His death feels connected to your lack of confi-dence, and fear of failure. You felt a lack of paternalsupport to help you out. This dream figure gives youback the camera, your career. In the dream you feltsorry for the man. Who do you feel sorry for?” “I feelsorry for me, and my mom. The homeless man remindsme of a man without a family, a family without a man”; inother words, it reminds him of his father, his family.”The homeless man also reminded Chris of feeling root-less, his fear of never having a career and a stable life.The wandering man’s hump reminded Chris of “disfig-urement, mystery, something concealed from me. I didn’tknow what it was.” I said, “Maybe your father’s pain washidden to you.” “Yes. And the black man represents forme the extremes of human potential. People like MalcolmX and Bob Marley overcame poverty and became thebest of all people. The black man in the dream repre-sents being self-made, fierce, overcoming adversity. Hereminds me of fatherless children, broken families, thestruggle of women to keep it all together.” Chris’ feel-ings about his mother would soon come into vivid focus.

The Dream of the Church,The Dream of the Church,The Dream of the Church,The Dream of the Church,The Dream of the Church, the Pagan Altar, and the Sacrifice the Pagan Altar, and the Sacrifice the Pagan Altar, and the Sacrifice the Pagan Altar, and the Sacrifice the Pagan Altar, and the Sacrifice

7/3/00: “I’m at work. My office has moved and nowit’s a church, empty, closed down. I walk through thepews. Light is coming in through windows. I go down tothe basement of the church. I was in this ancient paganplace of worship. The floor was a cave, painted blue.There was a design in the center of the floor, a penta-gram or mandala, a large circle. In the back of the roomwas a sign that said, “Do not go beyond this point.” Thisis where sacrifices are performed. They sacrifice sheep.’It felt creepy. It was like the basement when I was akid. I wanted to leave.” Chris says, “The scene remindsme of the Christian Science church. My dad died be-cause he refused medical treatment. It also remindsme of a Pagan worship site, a very personal, sacred place,connected to the earth and a rebirth of spirituality. Iwondered, were they sacrificing sheep or children? Thatreminds me of a sense of loss in my childhood and myfeeling of a lost childhood.” I said, “The sheep remindsme of Christ as the shepherd; also, being meek, inno-cent. So the dream evokes the sacrifice of the inno-cent.” “That’s what happened to me as a boy—the sacri-fice of the innocent. My dad was innocent and helpless,too.” “The dream suggests that you are entering for-bidden territory, something off limits, perhaps your


identification with your dad’s suffering, and your own.”Chris said, “My childhood was sacrificed. Parents makesacrifices for their children. My mom’s whole life shemade sacrifices for us. She sacrificed her childhood towork during WWII. Her grandfather was sacrificed bythe Nazis. Then she lost my dad. I used to be wrackedwith guilt about all my mom went through. I always feltlike anything I went though would be nothing comparedto her life.” Chris wept as he said this. The dream’s motifof sacrifice jars loose memories and emotions that havebeen long buried. These intensely feeling-full momentsin Chris’ session were evoked by following his associa-tions to this dream journey down into the underworld,to a blue cave with a sacred circle where rites wereenacted involving the sacrifice of sheep, symbol of in-nocence, the need to be led, shepherded. Perhaps thisattitude of innocence and meekness is what needed tobe sacrificed on this internal altar. Only then could Chrishope to reach a place beyond the grief and survivor guiltthat afflicted both he and his mother. Note the mandalapainted on the floor of this sacred cave; an internal or-der is emerging within the psyche, even amidst the ap-parent chaos of the unconscious. ℘

(To be continued , Vol. 23 No. 2)

References:References:References:References:References:Eliade, M. (1979). The Forge and the Crucible: The Originsand Structures of Alchemy. Chicago: University of ChicagoPress.Herdt, G. (1982). “Fetish and fantasy in Sambia initiation.”In G. Herdt (Ed.), Rituals of Manhood: Male Initiation inPapua New Guinea. Berkeley, CA: University of CaliforniaPress.Hill, G. (1992). Masculine and feminine. Boston: Shambhala.Levinson, D. (1978). The seasons of a man’s life. New York:Ballantine.Storr, A. (Ed.) (1983). The Essential Jung. Princeton, NJ:Princeton University Press.

Greg Bogart, Ph.D., MFT, is a professor of Counseling Psy-

chology at John F. Kennedy University and also teaches in the

Depth Psychology Program at Sonoma State University. He is

a licensed psychotherapist in private practice in Berkeley,

California and is the author of five books on spiritual psychol-

ogy, described at his website: http://pweb.jps.net/~gbogart.

Greg's writings have also appeared in The Journal of

Transpersonal Psychology, The American Journal of Psycho-

therapy, The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, The California

Therapist, The Journal of the Society for the Study of Dreams,

and Yoga Journal.

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Through the VeilThrough the Veil

©2003 by Marlene King, M.A.

DreamTimes: Dream Exchange DreamTimes: Dream Exchange DreamTimes: Dream Exchange DreamTimes: Dream Exchange DreamTimes: Dream Exchange

SSSSStepping through the veil

in the looking glass of time caninvolve episodes of lost time andevidence of extraordinary physicalmanifestations. These types ofexperiences have been sprinkledthroughout my life. These ‘throughthe veil’ incidences have almostalways preceded major life changes,often including a ‘big’ life dream aspart of the hinterland phenomena.

While a majority of reportedevents of this type occur duringnight/sleep hours when the mind/body are in an unconscious state, Ifind the ones that occur during day/waking hours are even morefascinating. Having experienced bothphysical occurrences and lost timesituations while fully awake (butfocused), I felt as though I wasushered through a tear in the fabricof time with uncanny ease.

The most recent occurrencehappened in March of this year andwas dramatic and powerful. Whileconcentrating on a computer screenduring the last half hour of my workday, intent on completing a projectbefore leaving, I felt something weton my left ankle and foot. I pushedback from the desk to see what wasgoing on and saw a wash of bloodtrickling from above my ankle to myshoe; it was pooling around my foot.Shocked, I was unable to grasp howthis could possibly be happening, asI had no memory of injuring myselfbefore I sat down at the computerhours before.

I could not get up withoutgetting the blood on the carpet, andcalled for a co-worker to come andhelp, while I reached for a wad oftissues to wipe the blood frommyself and the chair mat. I feltNOTHING, but the bleeding wasprofuse. I had no idea what hadhappened—my shoe and knee-hi sockwere soaked; the bathroom was atthe other end of building, so Ihobbled there with my colleaguepressing a rag on the wound. When Iplaced my foot into the sink, I sawtwo holes about 1/8" round scoopedout or punctured in the skin; they didnot hurt—no sensation at all—justnon-stop bleeding! I thought maybeI’d been bitten by a snake, but thatdidn’t make any sense, since therewas no pain, swelling or redness. Wewrapped gauze, paper towels andthen another rag around the wound,in order that I would be able to drivehome. The bleeding went on like thisfor nearly two weeks... on and off.After the bleeding slowed, a dark“lump” appeared underneath the skin,but when the healing occurred, thewounds covered over almostinstantaneously; they never hurt orscabbed over... just healed to asmooth surface with no indentationsafter the bleeding stopped. Today,the skin is only mildly discolored, andyou would never know such a woundwas there.

After recounting this incident toa friend a few months later, sheforwarded me a copy of the Mufon

Journal Filer’s Files, #28 dated 7-7-03. In them was a referenceentitled, “Canadians Report HeavyConcentration of Small ScoopMarks.” The report from an Ottowawitness referred to characteristicsof a small roundish scoop mark (onleft wrist) found upon awakening: 1.About 1/8% or two millimeters indiameter; 2. The bottom of thewound is concave; 3. There was nopain associated with the wound, 4.The bottom of the wound wasflecked with small bits of blood, 5.The bottom of the wound was slickand smooth, as if cauterized, 6. Thewound looked like it had been donefive minutes before I awoke and tooktwo months to heal, now only visiblewith a jeweler’s loupe. The onlycharacteristics not shared with thisperson’s experience was my ownexcessive bleeding and being awakewhen it happened. The individualsought medical help and the doctorindicated it looked like a ‘punchbiopsy’ he described as being doneusing a laser scalpel-type device, andthat it was the fourth or fifth casehe had seen within recent weeks.This incident occurred in February,2003, one month before mine.

As a footnote, I made a thoroughsearch of my office underneathdesks, chairs, tables and around filecabinets, but could not find aprotruding nail or any other sharpobject that would have caused sucha wound. While I do not know whatcreated such an injury, I find the


parallels with the Canadian incidentscompelling. But, I’m left with thequestion: did someone or somethingpierce through the veil from theother side of time to my reality andperform a procedure on me? It isanybody’s call.

Taking a journey through the veilto another reality can result in losttime. Many such incidences arereported, but the ones that occurduring wakefulness intrigue me, sinceone of my brushes with losing timehappened in a public place during fulldaylight hours. On a solitary trip Itook to the beach one autumn, Ibooked a cabin at my favoritegetaway for a week, and my dog andI settled in for some quiet,therapeutic and creative time. Mydays were interspersed with writing,knitting, meditating, walking on thebeach and collecting agates.

One afternoon at about 2:00o’clock, I decided to take the dog fora walk, and we headed down the longpathway to the shoreline. It was acrisp October day with wispy cloudsoverhead. Several large logs hadwashed up on the sand after a recentstorm and provided an inviting placeto sit and watch the waves. After avigorous walk, I sat on the end of alog and my dog lay by my feet. I heldher leash and focused on the horizonand glistening waves, as their rhythmlulled me into a meditative state. Iwas particularly drawn to a gold andsilver elliptical cloud that hadappeared near the sun. I watched itchange shapes, compressing andelongating, almost as if it wasbreathing. This seemed to go on forseveral minutes and the next thing Irecalled was wondering why the sunwas so low on the horizon; it wasapproaching sunset. I looked at mywatch and it was shortly after 4:30.I couldn’t believe it! I had lost twohours of time and had no idea whereI had been. The dog was sitting upand looking at me as I came to and Ifelt cold from the raw wind. Theclouds had returned to the high,wispy dappled variety I had seenearlier in the day and were turningfrom gold to scarlet.

The fact that the dog remainedcalm and obedient during this timeastonished me. She was a hyper-mutt, young (under one year old) andwould have barked or run up toanyone who might be walking on thebeach, or taken off if she’d seenanother dog. So where did we go?Was the unusual cloud formation aspaceship of some kind? Were webeamed up through the veil?

After each of these incidentsrespectively, major life changestranspired, accompanied byremarkable dream activity. Shortlyafter the scoop occurrence, I madea decision to take my writing in a newdirection—a form I had neverattempted before. It proved to be anatural fit and I am now enjoyingsome success with it. I alsorelinquished a line of service I hadperformed for years, which I believecleared the way for my newprofessional endeavors.

A few months after the lost timeevent, I was divorced. And severalmonths after that, I had a dream thatI was being escorted by two monks inan ancient Grecian landscape. Onelater became my husband (who Irecognized from the dream), and theother (who I met at the same time)remains a lifelong friend to this day.

Did the crossing over into theseunseen realms prepare me for lifechanges or was it just a coincidence—a bizarre timing of events that wouldhappen anyway? Both of myexperiences carried a surreal qualitythat defies description. Were theymerely waking dreams thatmanifested through lost time andphysical aberrations to get myattention? I have considered all ofthese possibilities and have nospecific answers.

In the events I described, Isubscribe to the fact that in someway something crossed through theveil to my world and I crossed throughthe veil to theirs. ℘

Contact Marlene King, M.A.at Box 477 Murphy, OR 97533 or e-mail, [email protected]

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7-9pm. Please contact Leon B. Van Leeuwen

at 212/888-0552 NY, NY.

The ASCLEPIADS will receive requestsfor dream consultations and guidancefrom any reader of the Dream NetworkJournal on a once-free/second-time,

donation basis.Please include gender and birthdate;

name is optional.Include Email address only.

Our email address [email protected]

DREAM GROUPS & WORKSHOPSNorthern & Central Vermont

Ongoing dream groups;Astrological Dreamwork

Contact Janis Comb 802/933-6742

COLOMBUS, OH Dream group.Peer-led. Ullman style process.

Meets every MONDAY, midday, Clintonville area. Micki Seltzer

Ph: 614/267-1341

DREAMWORK, Jeremy Taylor StyleSanta Monica, CA.. LicensedMarriage & Family Therapist,

Shannon Batts, M.S. [email protected]

or Ph: 310/339-5958

SWITZERLANDBern & Thun: Art FunkhouserAltenbergstr. 126, 3013 Bern

Is Your Group Listed Here?≈ ≈ ≈ ∞ ≈ ∞ ≈ ≈ ≈

If you wish to start a DreamGroup or have an active

group and are open to newmembers, please send us

your informationso that we can help you

get the word out!Info to Dream NetworkPO Box 1026, Moab, UT 84532

or [email protected]

TELEDREAM:Telephone Dream Groups.

Inspiring, Affordable, neo-Jungian.Dr Ron Masa and Staff.

FREE first visit! (303) 786-9537http://www.UniversityofYourself.com


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Books — New Releases

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Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!

Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in! Bul let in!

SHE WHO DREAMS:SHE WHO DREAMS:SHE WHO DREAMS:SHE WHO DREAMS:SHE WHO DREAMS:

A Journey A Journey A Journey A Journey A Journey Into HealingInto HealingInto HealingInto HealingInto Healing

Through DreamworkThrough DreamworkThrough DreamworkThrough DreamworkThrough Dreamwork

By: Wanda Burch

Foreword: Robert Moss

Publication Date: October 8, 2003

Price: $14.95, Trade Paper

Published by New World Library

In She Who Dreams, Wanda Burch

proves that dreaming is healing. Our bod-

ies speak to us in dreams, giving us early

warning of symptoms we might develop,

showing us what they need to stay well.

Dreams give us fresh and powerful images

for self-healing Beyond this, dreams can

take us–sleeping or hyper-awake—into

realms where we can have direct access

to sacred healers and teachers.

These themes and possibilities come

vividly alive in Wanda Burch’s "brave and

beautiful book, She Who Dreams, which is

both the narrative of a personal journey

into healing through dreaming and an in-

centive to bring the gifts of active dream-

ing into our everyday lives." [Robert Moss,

foreword and author of Conscious Dream-

ing].

Her message is that wisdom lives

within each of us, and we can tap into that

wisdom with some guidance. Wanda writes

that "within each of us lies the ability to

rise above the challenges of our lives and

choose our own ways of living, of healing."

Wanda is a long-term survivor (14

years) of breast cancer who has always

had a vibrant dream life. She works with

Robert Moss, author of Conscious Dreaming.

Publisher Contact:Publisher Contact:Publisher Contact:Publisher Contact:Publisher Contact: New World Library,

Marjorie Conte • 415-884-2100 Ext. 18 -

• [email protected]

Author Contact:Author Contact:Author Contact:Author Contact:Author Contact: Wanda Burch 518-922-

7051 email: [email protected]


Back IssuesOver 61 (of 110 published) back issues of Dream Network are still

available. Individual copies are $7. See the listing at Dream

Network.net/backissues.html).

One complete archive (some xerox copies of older issues), A veritable

treasure chest & valuable collector’s item V1#1-V22#3 $900.

Back IssuesBack IssuesBack IssuesBack IssuesBack Issues

Available Include:Available Include:Available Include:Available Include:Available Include:

1996, the year we began1996, the year we began1996, the year we began1996, the year we began1996, the year we began

Dreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathDreaming Humanity’s PathFour Volumes

Complete Set: $30

Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2Vol. 14 Nos. 1 & 2 ~

Protecting the ChildrenProtecting the ChildrenProtecting the ChildrenProtecting the ChildrenProtecting the Children

& Warning DreamsWarning DreamsWarning DreamsWarning DreamsWarning Dreams

Apocalypse as a Rite of Passage:

Interview with Michael Ortiz Hill •

Vol. 14 No. 3Vol. 14 No. 3Vol. 14 No. 3Vol. 14 No. 3Vol. 14 No. 3 ~ Visions of Guid- Visions of Guid- Visions of Guid- Visions of Guid- Visions of Guid-

anceanceanceanceance Psychic Dream? Be Careful

Who You Tell!: Stanley Krippner •

Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 Vol. 14 No. 4 ~ Beyond the Veil~ Beyond the Veil~ Beyond the Veil~ Beyond the Veil~ Beyond the Veil

Whispers and Murmurs: Perspectives

on Dreaming Humanity’s Path: Russell

Lockhart •

Winter Vol 15 No.1Winter Vol 15 No.1Winter Vol 15 No.1Winter Vol 15 No.1Winter Vol 15 No.1 ~ DreamDreamDreamDreamDream

Inspired CommunitiesInspired CommunitiesInspired CommunitiesInspired CommunitiesInspired Communities Dreaming in

Dundee, NY, an interview with Susan

Watkins • The Emergence of a Dream

Community in San Francisco:

Winter 1998 Vol. 17 No. 1 Winter 1998 Vol. 17 No. 1 Winter 1998 Vol. 17 No. 1 Winter 1998 Vol. 17 No. 1 Winter 1998 Vol. 17 No. 1 ~ Lucid,Lucid,Lucid,Lucid,Lucid,

Mutual & WILD Dreams Mutual & WILD Dreams Mutual & WILD Dreams Mutual & WILD Dreams Mutual & WILD Dreams Mutual

Dreaming: Linda Lane Magallon

Spring 1998 Vol. 17 No. 2Spring 1998 Vol. 17 No. 2Spring 1998 Vol. 17 No. 2Spring 1998 Vol. 17 No. 2Spring 1998 Vol. 17 No. 2 ~

Healing Relationships Healing Relationships Healing Relationships Healing Relationships Healing Relationships • An Interview

with Navajo Shaman Dennison Tsossie

Autumn 1998 Vol. 17 No. 3Autumn 1998 Vol. 17 No. 3Autumn 1998 Vol. 17 No. 3Autumn 1998 Vol. 17 No. 3Autumn 1998 Vol. 17 No. 3 ~

Dream’s Relationship to MythologyDream’s Relationship to MythologyDream’s Relationship to MythologyDream’s Relationship to MythologyDream’s Relationship to Mythology

Interviews with Stephen Aizenstat and

Jeremy Taylor

Winter/Spring 1998/’99Vol. 17 No.Winter/Spring 1998/’99Vol. 17 No.Winter/Spring 1998/’99Vol. 17 No.Winter/Spring 1998/’99Vol. 17 No.Winter/Spring 1998/’99Vol. 17 No.

4 & 18 No. 14 & 18 No. 14 & 18 No. 14 & 18 No. 14 & 18 No. 1 ~

Focus on Central CorridorFocus on Central CorridorFocus on Central CorridorFocus on Central CorridorFocus on Central Corridor ~

Dreamworkers in Missouri, Illinois

Summer 1999 Vol. 18 No. 2Summer 1999 Vol. 18 No. 2Summer 1999 Vol. 18 No. 2Summer 1999 Vol. 18 No. 2Summer 1999 Vol. 18 No. 2 ~

Prophetic DreamsProphetic DreamsProphetic DreamsProphetic DreamsProphetic Dreams

An Interview with Robert Johnson •

The End of Time or the Beginning of

Now? Daniel Shellabarger • Hearing

the Echo before the Sound Damian Nash


The Healing Power of DreamsThe Healing Power of DreamsThe Healing Power of DreamsThe Healing Power of DreamsThe Healing Power of Dreams

Guest Editors: Robert Moss &

Graywolf Swinney

Winter 1999 Vol. 18 No. 4Winter 1999 Vol. 18 No. 4Winter 1999 Vol. 18 No. 4Winter 1999 Vol. 18 No. 4Winter 1999 Vol. 18 No. 4 ~

Preparing for the MillenniumPreparing for the MillenniumPreparing for the MillenniumPreparing for the MillenniumPreparing for the Millennium

The Light at the End of the Tunnel:

An Interview with Gary Bonnell

Spring 2000 Vol. 19 No. 1Spring 2000 Vol. 19 No. 1Spring 2000 Vol. 19 No. 1Spring 2000 Vol. 19 No. 1Spring 2000 Vol. 19 No. 1 ~

Animals in Dreams: Animals in Dreams: Animals in Dreams: Animals in Dreams: Animals in Dreams: What Do They

Symbolize? Ullman Method: Content

& Context: Sandy Sela Smith

Summer 2000 Vol. 19 No. 2Summer 2000 Vol. 19 No. 2Summer 2000 Vol. 19 No. 2Summer 2000 Vol. 19 No. 2Summer 2000 Vol. 19 No. 2 ~

Sexuality in Dreams Jeremy Taylor •

The Practical Side of Sexual Symbol-

ism Janice Baylis • Lucid Dreaming


Dreams & Religion Dreams & Religion Dreams & Religion Dreams & Religion Dreams & Religion Befriending the

Institution: The Christian Tradition &

Dreamwork Suzanne Nadon • Dreams

& Christianity Rev. Jeremy Taylor

Winter 2000Winter 2000Winter 2000Winter 2000Winter 2000 Vol. 19 No. 4Vol. 19 No. 4Vol. 19 No. 4Vol. 19 No. 4Vol. 19 No. 4 ~

Dreams & Shamanism Part IDreams & Shamanism Part IDreams & Shamanism Part IDreams & Shamanism Part IDreams & Shamanism Part I

On Shamanism: An Interview with

Stanley Krippner • Patterns of Dream

Use in African Psychotherapy: Dr. Nwoye

Spring-Summer 2001 Vol. 20Spring-Summer 2001 Vol. 20Spring-Summer 2001 Vol. 20Spring-Summer 2001 Vol. 20Spring-Summer 2001 Vol. 20

Nos 1&2Nos 1&2Nos 1&2Nos 1&2Nos 1&2 ~ “The Way It Is William

(Bill) Stimson • On Dreams & Art

Montague Ullman

Aurumn 2001 Vol. 20 No. 3 Aurumn 2001 Vol. 20 No. 3 Aurumn 2001 Vol. 20 No. 3 Aurumn 2001 Vol. 20 No. 3 Aurumn 2001 Vol. 20 No. 3 ~

Dream-Inspired PoetryDream-Inspired PoetryDream-Inspired PoetryDream-Inspired PoetryDream-Inspired Poetry

Poets of Consciousness Robert Moss

Dreams, Poems & Prayers Susan Scott

Walking Through Glass Mary Stebbins

Winter 2001 Vol. 20 No. 4 ~Winter 2001 Vol. 20 No. 4 ~Winter 2001 Vol. 20 No. 4 ~Winter 2001 Vol. 20 No. 4 ~Winter 2001 Vol. 20 No. 4 ~

Dreams & 9/11Dreams & 9/11Dreams & 9/11Dreams & 9/11Dreams & 9/11

A Walk Thru the Valley of Shadows

Curtiss Hoffman Dreams of Terror,

Dreams of Healing Robert Moss

Spring 2002 Vol. 21 No. 1 ~Spring 2002 Vol. 21 No. 1 ~Spring 2002 Vol. 21 No. 1 ~Spring 2002 Vol. 21 No. 1 ~Spring 2002 Vol. 21 No. 1 ~

Crisis & Creativity • Dream MusicCrisis & Creativity • Dream MusicCrisis & Creativity • Dream MusicCrisis & Creativity • Dream MusicCrisis & Creativity • Dream Music

Awakening Fariba Bogzaran Music,

Mystery & Dreams Amy Mindell

Summer 2002 Vol. 21 No. 2 ~Summer 2002 Vol. 21 No. 2 ~Summer 2002 Vol. 21 No. 2 ~Summer 2002 Vol. 21 No. 2 ~Summer 2002 Vol. 21 No. 2 ~

Crisis & Creativity • Music Part IICrisis & Creativity • Music Part IICrisis & Creativity • Music Part IICrisis & Creativity • Music Part IICrisis & Creativity • Music Part II

Orders for ten or more Orders for ten or more Orders for ten or more Orders for ten or more Orders for ten or more back

issues receive a 20% discount.

You can order in one of these

ways:

Send check or MO to

Dream Network

PO Box 1026, Moab, UT 84532

With credit card:

Phone 435/259-5936

or on the web:

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Dream Weaving with Noreen Wessling

Autumn 2002 Vol. 21 No. 3 ~Autumn 2002 Vol. 21 No. 3 ~Autumn 2002 Vol. 21 No. 3 ~Autumn 2002 Vol. 21 No. 3 ~Autumn 2002 Vol. 21 No. 3 ~

The Art of DreamsharingThe Art of DreamsharingThe Art of DreamsharingThe Art of DreamsharingThe Art of Dreamsharing

Awakening Dream Groups Paul Levy

Is Religion the Problem? Bill Stimson

Winter/Spring 2002/2003 Vols. 21Winter/Spring 2002/2003 Vols. 21Winter/Spring 2002/2003 Vols. 21Winter/Spring 2002/2003 Vols. 21Winter/Spring 2002/2003 Vols. 21

No. 4/22 No. 1 No. 4/22 No. 1 No. 4/22 No. 1 No. 4/22 No. 1 No. 4/22 No. 1 ~ Evolution of the ~ Evolution of the ~ Evolution of the ~ Evolution of the ~ Evolution of the

Dream Movement Dream Movement Dream Movement Dream Movement Dream Movement Dreaming Our

Way to the Heart of the World Robert

Moss • Tending to the Soul of the

World, an interview with RC Wilkerson

Summer 2003 Vol. 22 No. 2 Summer 2003 Vol. 22 No. 2 Summer 2003 Vol. 22 No. 2 Summer 2003 Vol. 22 No. 2 Summer 2003 Vol. 22 No. 2 ~~~~~

Evolution Part II: Feminine Perspec-Evolution Part II: Feminine Perspec-Evolution Part II: Feminine Perspec-Evolution Part II: Feminine Perspec-Evolution Part II: Feminine Perspec-

tivestivestivestivestives Dream Work as Peace Work

Deborah Hillman • Thoughts on the

Evolution of a Dream Cherishing

Culture Rita Dwyer • Holistic Dream

Studies in Academia Fariba Bogzaran

Autumn 2003 Vol. 22 No. 3Autumn 2003 Vol. 22 No. 3Autumn 2003 Vol. 22 No. 3Autumn 2003 Vol. 22 No. 3Autumn 2003 Vol. 22 No. 3 — — — — —

Dreams, Aging & DeathDreams, Aging & DeathDreams, Aging & DeathDreams, Aging & DeathDreams, Aging & Death

Dreamsharing from Around the World

The Circle of Sex Stanley Krippner

Winter 2003 Vol. 22 No. 4Winter 2003 Vol. 22 No. 4Winter 2003 Vol. 22 No. 4Winter 2003 Vol. 22 No. 4Winter 2003 Vol. 22 No. 4 — — — — —

Dreaming of ExtraterrestrialsDreaming of ExtraterrestrialsDreaming of ExtraterrestrialsDreaming of ExtraterrestrialsDreaming of Extraterrestrials

Unarians Dreaming • Dreaming of

Aliens A.. Ramer Exploring Dreams of

UFOs & ETs Rosemary Guiley

51 Vol. 23 No. 1/Dream NetworkThe “Dharmic Wheel” Crop Circle


Documents

When Last I Dreamed: Creating Dances from Dreams