“There is nothing like a dream to create the future.”
Victor Hugo
The dream, as a sacred encounter, offers us many gestures, objects, symbols and energies. We can create ways to bring the energy within our dream into our waking life in an intentional way.
The etymology of the word “dream” appears to have descended from an Anglo-Saxon word dream meaning joy, merriment or music, or possibly from the West Germanic word draugmas, meaning deception or illusion.
Intentional dreaming is dreaming with a purpose or intent. Generally, the intent is stated out loud before sleep or written into the dream journal before retiring.
"It is shaping an aspiration in your imagination before you sleep and integrating it into the reservoirs of your unconscious before you dream...Through intentional dreaming, we are looking to integrate all levels of consciousness while we are at rest. We want to master our consciousness. Through intentional dreaming, we are using the conscious mind to influence the other two layers of consciousness: the subconscious and the hard-to-reach unconscious."
David Paul Kirkpatrick
Here are the steps to intentional dreaming:
Acknowledge that imagination has power
Bring yourself into “body calm”, when both mind and body are free of anxiousness
Set your intention. For example, “Tonight I want to have a dream visitation from my Guardian Angel.” Or, you can simply write something such as “Tonight I would like my Guardian Angel to give me additional wisdom/guidance about [fill in the blank].”
Construct the aspiration in your consciousness and imagine it moving with you into your unconscious and subconscious reserves.
As you begin to relax send gratitude for the dream connection. For example, Thank you Guardian Angel for connecting with me in my dreams. Thank you for allowing me to clearly pick up on your messages. And more importantly, to remember your messages to me when I awake.”
Go to sleep
In the morning or when you wake up during the night, write down your dreams while they are fresh. Don’t worry if you only get fragments. Write down anything that comes into your awareness. Often the dream fragments will cause other memories to flow forth
Repeat every night before sleeping
When compelled by an intuitive affection, act upon it
Let it go
Watch for synchronicities and signs
"If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme."
Jiminy Cricket
Here are some suggestions to assist with intentional dreaming.
Dream Weaving is the process of reviewing your dream journal for a period of time or series of dreams and weaving the specific themes of each dream into a single dream theme.
Create a Dream Altar to help you gather your dreams, look at them clearly, and learn from them. Sit at your altar each morning as you scribble in a dream journal. The use of altars is an ancient tradition present in most cultures of the world as a place of worship and a contemplative space to reflect and connect with spirit.
Use a Dream Pillow to enhance your dreams. A dream pillow is a small pillow filled with herbs, such as mugwort, rose, lavender, hops, rosemary, and chamomile, which stimulate dreaming. Leave the pillow on your altar during the day and tuck it under your bed pillow at night to bring good dreams and soothe away bad ones.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons mugwort leaves
1 tablespoons hops flowers
1 tablespoons lavender blossoms
1 teaspoon rose petals
1 teaspoon chamomile flowers
1-2 cups flax seeds
Muslin cloth or handkerchief
Other dried herbs can be included in your sachets and dream pillows such as rose geranium, lemon balm, mints, rosemary, sweet woodruff.
Note: Please do your own research and be sure to check for allergies and other adverse reactions.
Directions
Cut two rectangular pieces of muslin cloth (7 inches x 4 1/2 inches) and sew three sides together. Flip material right side out.
Combine herbs and seeds. Mix well and fill the bag 3/4 full.
Close the open edge of the bag then fold it over 2-3 times (1/2 inch for each fold) to encase the raw edges. Sew this closed.
Alternative: The simplest way to create these little delights is to stuff dried lavender blossoms into pretty bags or fill a lovely cloth and close with ribbons or bows.
To Use:
Cover your eyes with the bag while you rest.
Place the bag under your pillow when you sleep.
Heat the bag lightly in the microwave and breath in the deep scents of the herbs before going to bed.
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