Witchy tip: On dreamwork (III/X) If you are just beginning to record your dreams, the important thing is not to try too hard. Being relaxed about the whole thing will give far more potential for success than getting worked up because you cannot remember your dream or because you do not appear to have dreamed at all. The more you practice, the easier it becomes. By making preparations into something of a ritual, it can help to concentrate your mind on the activity of dreaming, and thinking over a situation before you go to sleep, or meditating on it, can help to open the doors of the unconscious to some of the answers you are seeking. Carefully laying out your tools, rereading some of your old dreams, using deep relaxation methods, assisted by relaxing oils or herb teas, and even asking the superconscious for usable material, can all assist in the creative (lucid) dreaming process. —— SLEEP In myth, Hypnos, the god of sleep, was usually personified in winged form as one of the inevitable forces of nature. He is always pictured as young and fair though some say he was the father of Morpheus, the god of dreams. A sip from Hypnos’ cup or a touch from his staff is said by some to send you into blissful sleep until his mother, Nyx (Night), has fled the sky. SUPPLIES a crystal to help with dreams (e.g. jade) 1 cup of herbal tea such as chamomile your dream journal pen PROCEDURE hold the cup in both hands and say: Hypnos, Lord of Sleep, son of Night, Bless this cup and give me rest That I may benefit from all your might And know forever what is best! drink from the cup put the journal and the pen together, close to your bed, with the crystal on top, and say these words: Morpheus Morpheus, shaper of dreams, Crafter of light not all that it seems Send me now, images fit only for kings Those that fulfil my deepest yearnings Let me remember all that I learn True to myself, to you I now turn now compose yourself for sleep and await developments —— WAKING In the morning, try to wake up naturally, without the shrill call of an alarm clock. Even a radio or tape recorder programmed to play soft relaxing music can be used. Using such waking aids can help you eventually to hold on to the hypnagogic state and use it creatively. It is worth noting that some dreamers have reported that the spoken word seems to chase away a dream. On waking, lie as still as possible for a moment, and try to recall what you have dreamt. Often it is the most startling thing or feeling which you will remember first, followed by lesser elements. Transcribe these elements into your journal, and write the story of the dream. This may well give you an initial perception that is sufficient for your needs, both in the everyday and from a magical perspective. Sometimes much can be gained from taking the dream action forward using the questions, ”What happens next?” or sometimes ”What if?”. —— DREAMING LUCIDLY When you have been recording your dreams for some time, you may find it useful to turn one of them into a creative project. This could be a painting, sculpture or other artistic process; it could also be a short story perhaps taking the dream further forward, a play, or even using nature creatively – it needs to be something that takes one beyond normal everyday activities. Look particularly for magickal aspects, for you are trying to access the world of magick in a slightly different way from that of ordinary spell making. By acknowledging the creative processes in dreams and making them tangible within the normal sphere of reality, you are opening yourself up to all sorts of possibilities and changes of consciousness. One of the benefits of deliberately dreaming creatively is a different perception of events in the world around you. Colours may appear more vibrant, shapes sharper, and sounds clearer. These changes can be quite subtle, but usually bring more focus to your awareness and allow you to use creativity to its best advantage in small things as well as more important ones. Life begins to take on new meaning. Dream symbols, because they are archetypal and tap into a wider consciousness than your own, give fertile ground for meditation which can allow unconscious insights to come to the surface, giving rise to even greater creativity. When you find yourself dreaming about your chosen project you have come almost full circle – from an acorn to an oak tree and back to an acorn – a situation akin to rebirth. It does not matter whether the project is good or bad; what is important is the enjoyment that you achieve from doing it. One of the most fulfilling aspects of such a process is the realization that you have entered a stream of consciousness that belongs to all of us, but which so few manage to tap into. This ”locking on” can give a strong physical sensation as much as an emotional or spiritual one. For the purposes of self-development you may like to keep a separate journal or record of the processes and stages of awareness experienced during this strenuous activity – it is worthwhile spending a short while each day working with your project, and a journal allows you to see how far you have traveled in this journey of discovery. You may be able to unblock a creative block by asking your dreams for an answer or by using the in-between states. You will gradually find that you will be able to intertwine the various states of awareness when necessary without losing the reality of each one. This is the true use of dream creativity and is truly living magically. ——————————————— The Ultimate Book of Spells by Pamela Ball ~ Blessed be ~
Posted on: Fri, 06 Sep 2013 16:40:30 +0000
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