12 Jul How to dream well

Preparation for Sleep and Dreams…

A sweet night’s sleep, where you are calm and at peace with yourself, favors the development of Dreams. So, depending on what is possible for you, try to make the moment when you go to bed one that is calm and agreeable, favorable for the arrival of sleep and ideal for going out to meet the most wonderful dreams.

Forget about your daily worries, and concentrate on the calming relaxation that is essential for the arrival of sleep. The natural order of things implies that human beings go to sleep early and get up early… So, avoid physical or intellectual activities too late in the evening, as they will push back your first phase of sleep.

Relaxation…

Relaxation is a key factor of the art of sleeping well. Consider your room as a peaceful space, where it is possible for you to seek refuge and escape from all your daily problems, difficulties, fears and the stress that all of these situations are unfairly subjecting you to.

Try to make your sleeping space a cozy and welcoming place. Avoid too much brightly colored decoration. Instead, choose lightly colored shades, monochromes and soft and light materials.

Of course, if you are able to sleep away from noise and external turmoil then that is ideal. But many people don’t have such Luck. Make sure that your sleep is disrupted as little as possible. There is nothing better than sleeping in peace and quiet.

If you enjoy taking baths, a long hot bath before you go to bed can be an excellent way of relaxing. Certain essential oils can also help you to fall asleep more easily. You should always check that the contra-indications do not concern you directly and use these oils with precaution.

Lavender is recommended if you are experiencing intense fatigue, insomnia or stress. Sandalwood is advised for purifying, sanitizing and soothing. Jasmine is very beneficial if you have intense tension, stress or depression.

Don’t hesitate to light some votive candles or some elegant taper candles, if you are able to. The delicate and subtle glow of their light will help you to relax.

Massaging the arch of your foot is also recommended, in order to help you to relax in complete tranquility. You can also use lavender or chamomile oil, which are known for their sedative qualities.

A few drops of lavender delicately placed on your pillow will help you to fall asleep.

Of course, avoid any energy drinks, tea and coffee included, in the hours before you go to bed. They will keep you awake and slow down your passage into a state of sleep. Instead, choose an herbal tea infusion with some honey, chamomile or lemon grass, as these are very beneficial for repairing your nervous system.

As soon as you are lying down, relax yourself as much as possible. Breathe deeply and intensely and concentrate on the different parts of your body.

Relax your body, muscle by muscle, from your toes to your head. Don’t hesitate to use words to help you in this relaxation process: “I am relaxing my toes… My toes are completely relaxed”, “I am relaxing my calves, my calves are completely relaxed”… And so on, up to your neck, your jaw, your eyes, your face, your head.

Feel your muscles relaxing. In this way, free your body from all the weight it was carrying during the day you have just lived. Feel that it is light, as if it were floating in space, above you.

If you are finding it a little difficult to fall asleep, it is important that you avoid focusing your mind on the fact that you are not falling asleep quickly. As this will bring about the opposite effect and you will increase the time you need to get off to sleep.

Let sleep come to you naturally, with the greatest possible peace of mind.

Prepare yourself for Dreams…

Before you plunge your room into darkness, ensure you are completely aware of your physical and mental state of relaxation. Think about how peacefully you are going to sleep, without interruption, through to the following morning.

Then, with a confident tone, as if someone had delicately and subtly placed something in the hollow of your ear, tell yourself that you are going to dream and that you are going to remember your Dreams.

Suggest this to your conscious mind, gently but with conviction. You must be in complete control of the situation.

Certain essential oils favor sleep, others favor the arrival of Dreams. Wormwood will help you to remember your Dreams and provoke Prophetic dreams. Rose is a soothing perfume and can give rise to premonitory Dreams, notably about feelings and love. Rosemary is calming and ensures that you avoid nightmares. It is also recommended if you would like your Dreams to reply to a specific question. So, don’t hesitate to put some extracts of these plants in a small bag and place them under your pillow. This will be very beneficial for you.

You could also hang a “Dream Catcher” over your bed. Native Americans use these. This type of net woven around a round frame, decorated with beads and feathers. This net is supposed to catch the bad Dreams, that then disappear as soon as the sun rises, while the wonderful Dreams land delicately on the sleeper’s pillow.

This magnificent legend is just asking to be tested. It will not cost you anything to believe it. Absolutely nothing… Except remembering the best and most wonderful of all your Dreams.

Set off on the most wonderful of Journeys…

You are sleeping and Dreams are going to come knocking at the door of your subconscious. Penetrating into the world of Dreams is like entering a place where everything is possible. Without limits, none at all, the dreamer is free to travel across space and time and to make full use of the magic of places and moments.

Isn’t that the most fantastic feature of Dreams? Nothing is off limits, you have total freedom. Who refuses such a privilege, without taking advantage of it? We should let ourselves be carried by our Dreams…

Dream Analysis…

Dreams are very personal. However, some themes, some images, are present in a reoccurring manner and are shared by most of us. Whatever our origins, our cultural context or gender.

However, often, these themes and images are linked to the intrinsic life of each individual. So, only that individual can shed light on their deeper meaning.

---

Two Dreams and their meanings…

Whether we remember them or not, we all have dreams. Apparently, certain scenes or situations often reoccur in our dreams. Even though some people think that dreams are just a mix of events that have already happened in our lives, others consider that Dreams have a number of diverse and varied, but ultimately, very precise meanings.

Take this first specific example:

Flying multicolored fish…

When this Dream occurred, the dreamer was 42 years old, a government employee and had one deep desire: to set up their own company and leave their daily routine behind.

This person, who we will call ‘Paul’, dreamed that they were on a little lake, aboard a boat and that they were rowing with some other people. They needed to get to the other shore, which was not very far away.

Paul rowed for a long time, but he did not seem to have much success. The boat was not moving forwards and sometimes it even seemed to be moving backwards. So Paul doubled his efforts, but still without any results. The boat appeared to be blocked…

So, in a significant gesture, Paul decided to leave the boat, which was only a few meters from the shore. He jumped and found himself in the water. There, without any concern for the other people in the boat, he headed towards the shore by swimming for a few meters.

Suddenly, he was surrounded by tiny multicolored fish. More and more of them appeared around him. Paul swam slowly but he still felt that he might crush them. He therefore swam very carefully, moving forward cautiously towards the shore.

But despite this caution, he hit some of the fish, causing them to fall straightaway to the bottom of the lake. This made him feel very guilty. But suddenly, the fish that had fallen to the bottom of the lake came back up and, miraculously transparent and equipped with glittering wings, they flew to the surface of the water before disappearing over the horizon.

The Analysis
Paul traveled to the heart of his subconscious. As, in the world of dreams, water symbolizes the subconscious. The boat allowed Paul to travel completely safely on the water, to get from one point to another without getting wet. The fact that the boat did not move forward despite numerous oar strokes seems to show that moving forward is difficult in Paul’s universe. Here we can see Paul’s relationship with his subconscious. The boat did not move forward, it remained in the same place, giving the impression of boredom, a lack of interest for things that appear to be useless and without exciting prospects.

The act of jumping into the water highlights a deep and powerful desire, that Paul harbors deep within himself. The desire to jump ship and leave a static situation. By jumping, he released himself from those around him and freed himself from any form of constraint. The presence of fish appears to be very positive. Multicolored, numerous and active, they show the creative impulses that are pushing Paul to break free from a system he no longer wants to belong to… These fish embody freedom.

And Paul is afraid of hurting them. He knows how precious they are to him. How they will help him to gain his own wings. Wings that will allow him to fly towards other places, explore other paths and to free all the creativity he has within him.

In Paul’s Dream, a wonderful future is opening up in front of him. And he displays courage, desire, determination: he jumps into the water and leaves the safe space where his creativity was restricted. He heads off towards new adventures, very probably on the path to success.

Now, let’s consider this second example…

The Great Blue Winged Dog…

At the time of this Dream, the dreamer was 29 years old, working in advertising, in a creative department, and they had one real difficulty: meeting deadlines. We will call this person ‘Laura’.

At the heart of her Dream, Laura found herself in a very wide avenue, lined with magnificent, green trees. On each side of the avenue, sumptuous houses were lit up by a beautiful blue light.

But suddenly, at the end of the avenue, an enormous wave formed, and tons of water crashed down, completely destroying this idyllic scene. A terrible flood occurred, and Laura was washed away by a powerful current that she could not resist.

She did try to hold onto the branch of a tree. But alone, and helpless, she could not fight the current any more. The strength of the current was far too powerful. The situation seemed hopeless. That is when, in the depths of her distress, an animal appeared…

The Great Blue Winged Dog… It was big, strong and powerful. It swam against the current and came to her rescue. It invited her to climb on to its back and then, together, they flew off towards the brilliant sun that was coming up over the horizon.

From then on the rest of Laura’s Dream became a bit blurred… And she found herself in a sumptuous space, probably her office. There, people that she seemed to know congratulated her and admired her.

At the foot of her desk, sitting down next to her, the Great Blue Winged Dog was watching over her. He seemed to want to protect her forever.

The Analysis
The starting point, with the very wide avenue, the edges bordered with magnificent, green trees, as well as the sumptuous houses lit up with a beautiful blue light, represents a type of stability and well-established wealth. A sort of pedestal on which everything is well balanced. The trees bordering the avenue could signify a relationship between Laura and some family business. The image of a tree, like a genealogical tree, is often a reference to family relationships.

She could be feeling she is watched, as if she had a task to carry out under the well-meaning eye of some of those close to her. They are watching her. Without intervening. A wave and a flood most commonly highlight the emotion the dreamer is feeling. Laura is therefore prey to her strong emotions. These destroy the peaceful surroundings of the avenue and completely throw her off balance. Laura is out of her depth. But she refuses to succumb to this situation of failure. She hangs on and ends up being saved.

The Great Blue Winged Dog symbolizes a rescue, faithfulness and the loyalty of man’s best friend. It saves her and brings her protection… An almost divine and magical protection. The blue color of the dog is linked to the calm and tranquility she regains. Blue also evokes safety, and is maybe also Laura’s favorite color. She works in a creative domain and colors have an important influence on her life. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the Dog is blue. Blue also embodies reason. Reason saved Laura and took her away from her emotions. This allowed her to find peace and quiet in the heart of the storm. From then on, her work space became a haven of peace once again.

She is recognized for her work by her professional peers. She experiences a form of success and achievement.

Now it’s your turn…

Write down all the points present in your Dreams and, taking into account the situations you are going through in your daily life, try to analyze them.

You will see, it is not that complicated. And your common sense will be your most loyal ally…