Ok, I’ll be the first to say I’m cynical on the whole dream analysis, past life regression, astral project stuff. But that cynicism doesn’t always mean I dismiss these things out of hand. For example, over the last seven months, I have recorded some of my dreams. I’ve then used an analysis method described by Martha Beck in her book Steering by Starlight. I’ve had some pretty remarkable results.
This is the latest. I had a dream several weeks ago. In the ensuing days I conducted the analysis. Now some readers will say this is all my subconscious telling me what I want to hear, but I find the timing, relevance of the messages and the process by which this evolved….interesting.
Here’s the dream as I described it the morning of:
I work in an office. Two others are with me. One, a marine captain. Another someone similar to SL. We’re in the Marines and I’m also in school. I’m about to graduate. I’ve watched these movies as part of my education. My instructor and I are really close, as I am with the others. The marines are in the office. I’m really sad. Scared, all my knowns are over and I’m moving into the unknown. I’m on my bike. My brother is with me. I’ve said tearful goodbyes to the captain and the others in the office. The captain said “Next time we’re together, I’m going to promote you to full bird colonel.” I don’ tknow what he’s talking about though becuase I’m only a corporal. I don’t understand, I say. My instructor assures me it’s goin got be fine. He says the person who is going to review my application is an english major. I don’ tunderstand the connection. I am afraid. Theres so much unknown. I get on my bike. My borther is beside me. A bus is in the way. a woman is trying to cross the street. My brother tells her she should go. The driver to is telling her. She crosses and gets on the bus. My brother and I move forward. After a while, I look at him. he doesn’t have his bike. Where’s your bike, I ask. It’s back there, he says. He goes back to get it. I don’t see him again. I ride off without him. My heart is heavy.
Going into the analysis process would be too long a post. Here’s a summary. After recording the dream, the dreamer selects each significant dream element, assumes that element’s “nature” and then answers three questions from that point of view. The answers are then used to re-write the description. Not a very satisfactory and by no means a complete description, I know. But there you have it.
A little context before the interpretation. It has been an amazing learning experience in growing my businesses. Most of that learning has been about discovering who I am, what I’m capable of and how resourceful I can be. It also has been about discovering the shadow side of my personality; that part of me that is fear-based, bounded by limitation, and susceptible to discouragement. I’ve been keeping a journal of these experiences and will likely share them in some way in the future. Suffice it to say it’s been a deep and wrenching emotional experience, a journey through paradox and a roller coaster of ups and downs.
So when I had this dream, I immediately knew it was trying to tell me something important. The clarity of the dream, the durability of it (how well it remained in my memory upon waking) and the intensity of the dream itself, told me there was something here. So I decided to look at it using the process.
One drawback of the process is it takes a long time to do, particularly if the dreamer has been meticulous in recording the dream as I have. I couldn’t complete the analysis in one sitting. Interestingly, my intuition suggested it wasn’t necessary, indeed, it suggested it would be better to allow the process to spread over several weeks if necessary as everything that emerged would be pertinent to what I was experiencing over those weeks. Amazingly, this proved to be the case. over these weeks I saw great success in my companies and signs that more was to come. There was very little going on that warranted me being negative or down, and yet that’s where I found myself. Paradoxically, it was as if my emotional state operated totally separate from what was happening in the real world. I gathered that these downer periods were old habits of thinking that were emerging so they could be eliminated from my thinking patterns to be replaced by the new thought patterns of abundance and optimism I was nurturing. Despite this awareness, the downer periods weren’t easy to deal with. Obviously, I survived.
So, over the course of the last few weeks, I tackled bit-by-bit the analysis and came up with the following interpretation. I can not overemphasized how apt this “guidance” was for my life as it applied to the last three weeks or so. When I read it, I was shocked. And encouraged. take a look:
You are doing something good and are in the right place to do it. You are a leader, you should not worry, you are among friends. You will succeed, you have what you need and you are on the right track and well on the way. So don’t be serious. Have fun. Don’t worry. You are right on track, but you struggle emotionally. Keep moving. Realize that change is your home now. You are on an adventure to better joy. So move forward in comfort. While embracing that you’re still learning. Know you’re not alone, know the future is good. You’re ok, on track, Open up more to moving up in your life, you’re doing fine. Clarity comes when you ask for it. Keep going, stay fit, you’re going to succeed. Let go of your structured ways. Be aware, look, thrive in the uncertainty, it is freedom. Enjoy.
Know there are people helping you. Take your time. You have plenty. Free yourself from worry. You are crossing over to a new direction so get on board and enjoy the ride. You know where you’re going, keep moving forward, you’re making progress. Giving up where you’ve been makes room for what you want. Honor your past, but don’t be it. Going back is not your path. Looking back is useless. You’re on track. Stay open.
So what do I make of this? It certainly is mystical. As I said, I’m amazed at the “fit” this interpretation has with regard to my current and recent experiences. It is as if my subconscious, that part of me that is beyond language and yet has clarity of my purpose, spoke to me through this dream. I know this sounds crazy. Maybe it is. But even if it is, I feel highly encouraged by it. It is nothing short of amazing.