OF DREAMS AND DREAMING Dreamin' True Dreaming-True, also known as lucid dreaming, is a term which refers to an individuals ability to maintain conscious awareness and control while dreaming. It is an important aspect of dream work for various purposes, which includes:Communicating with non-human entities (God, Spirits, The Dead).Discovering practical solutions to ones problems.Receiving information about the past, present, or future.Obtaining lucky numbers for gamblingReceiving warnings in regard to pending death or the work of your enemies.While most people are inclined to categorize dreams as either lucid or non-lucid this is not the case. Studies show that there is something of a degree between lucidity and non-lucidity. Most dreams are non-lucid which means that the question of whether or not the individual is dreaming never arises.Pre-lucid dreams refers to those dreams where the dreamer questions whether they are dreaming or not. If the dreamer decided that he or she is dreaming, pre-lucid dreams can lead to lucid dreams.Intellectually Lucid Dreams are dreams in which the dreamer knows that he or she is dreaming but they still have an emotional reaction to dream dangers.Experientially lucid dreams are those dreams in which the dreamer is aware that he or she is dreaming and they have complete control over the dream.Another aspect of dream work takes place while you are awake and another individual is asleep and this type of dream work is often performed to influence the will of the other person. Interpreting Your Dreams There are three main schools of thought regarding dream interpretation. They are:Literal InterpretationReversed InterpretationSymbolic InterpretationLiteral Interpretation The literal approach views dreams as they are with little to no interpretation whatsoever. For example, if you dream of being in a car accident then you will be in a car accident; if you dream of receiving a letter from an old friend, then you will receive a letter from an old friend. Reversed Interpretation In these cases dreams are interpreted as representing the opposite of the essence of the dream. For example, dream of a death and there will be a birth; dream of a wedding and there will be a divorce. Symbolic Interpretation This approach to dream interpretation holds that elements in a dream are symbolic of something else. Those who follow this approach often make use of dream books which assign meanings to various elements found in dreams. The meanings assigned to these elements often have no logical connection. For example, dream of a bedpan and it augurs a sudden rise in your fortune. Some dream books also assign numbers to the elements. For example, the number assigned to mirror is 953. Therefore if you dream of a mirror, it is a good idea to play that number in the lottery.Dream Incubation Dream Incubation is a term which refers to programming your mind before sleep to dream about a specific issue or topic. There are three basic steps to dream incubation, they are:Preparing Yourself to DreamSetting Your IntentionReceiving Your DreamPreparing Yourself to Dream Fasting and sincere prayer are believed to encourage dreams, especially those of a prophetic nature. You can also burn herbs such as jasmine flowers, calendula flowers, or poppy to bring prophetic dreams. Psychologists have shown that it is not the amount of sleep we get per night as much as it is the regularity of our sleep cycles. Therefore to help sleep come on easier, it is best to adhere to a regular schedule of going to bed at the same time each night and rising at the same time each morning. It is also a good idea to get plenty of exercise so that the body is naturally tired at the end of the day. Setting Your IntentionThis is probably the most important aspect of dream incubation. It is important to be clear of that wish your wish to dream. Some people find it helpful to write their question on a piece of paper, placing the paper in the Bible at Act 2:17 and then placing the Bible under their pillow. For this purpose, I often use a small Gideon Bible. As you lie in bed, repeat your question or statement over and over to yourself. For example, you might say I will dream about my financial situation. The Bible and paper is left under the pillow until you receive your dream, after which the paper is taken out and burned. If you have a specific question that you would like answered with either a yes or a no, then you might say Will I get the administrative job I applied for? White is Yes, Black is No. If you dream of something white, the answer is yet; conversely if you dream of something black, the answer is no. Receiving Your Dream You may not immediately dream about the subject of your intent. It may take as much as two weeks before you have a dream that relates to your question. It is important to establish habits that will assist you in remembering your dreams when you do receive them. Some methods that assist you in remembering your dreams include writing them down as soon as you awake, reciting them into a recorder, or telling them to yourself out loud several times until it is committed to memory.