Summary:
This article is not on how to create your dream life or realize your goals. It’s not about fantasies on how wonderful life would be if…
It’s about those dreams you have at night and how they can help you live a better life with more awareness of the relationship between the dream worlds and this world.
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My earliest dream that I can remember was when I was about four years old. At the time, we lived along a canal in a small village in The Netherlands. Sometimes, I would go fishing with my dad, and I remembered being afraid to fall into the water.
One night, I dreamt that I did fall in. I was terrified that I would drown. I panicked. Then, suddenly, an old Chinese man appeared and asked me what I was afraid of. I was surprised that I could talk back to him and that I was not drowning. We both swam away through the water, and we saw a lot of fishes. That night, I realized that I am a unique being and that I am indestructible.
The use of dreams and dream journals
Since my teenage years, I have been recording my dreams. There are many dream journals in my storage.
In my many dreams, I travel a lot by car, by airplane or by boat. There are wonderful cities that I explore. I meet old friends and make new ones. Yes, my dreams are like a real adventure.
Perhaps I should have written this article a long time ago. It’s about something very dear to me, and I don’t know why I kept it so long from you since it helps me in so many aspects of my life. Dreams help me understand why certain events happen to me; they help me let go; it helps me prepare and get insights into things. Dreaming is a wonderful way to get to know yourself and to become aware of the connection between the dream world and the world we live in.
In this blog, I will give you some stories of how dreams help me, and I give you some techniques on how to dream more consciously, remember them, and understand them better.
Dreams for insight and preparation
A couple of years ago, I got the invitation to be a guest speaker at an event in Switzerland. All expenses were being been paid for. I was honored and excited to give a talk on how to reinvent yourself. Something I thought to know a lot about. So, enthusiastically I started to prepare this talk, which had to last for 45 minutes. I gathered stories and techniques and became very excited. And, I had to deliver it in…German.
Then, one night, I had a dream where I was giving this talk. I remember people rolling their eyes and asking me critical questions about what I was presenting. It was a big blow to my self-confidence. The next morning, I began to check my outline and the content. Certainly, some stories were better not to be told, and some theories could be explained better. At that moment, I realized that when something is not clear to me, it will not be understandable to the public.
I refined the talk, and it was a success. This success was partly because of the preparation and the insights I received in my dream.
Dreams to let go and meet loved ones
Last year, my father passed away unexpectedly. There was a lot of grief in the family, and I am very grateful that we had a warm memorial service with many friends to celebrate his life. You know, my dad enjoyed life very much. Especially, he loved good restaurants and tasty foods. The first question he would ask in the morning was where and what we would eat for lunch and dinner (breakfast was not his thing). I miss dad from time to time, and I am very happy to see him in my dreams. Last week, I met him again in a strange city, and he would tell me that he’d discovered a great restaurant somewhere. During meals, he always asks me many questions about what is going on in this world.
It is possible to meet loved ones in your dreams, even those who are no longer here.
Symbols in dreams
I believe that everybody has a unique experience while dreaming. Often, I hear about symbols in dreams that have a certain meaning for the dreamer. That is true. I have symbols such as birds, babies, buildings, or even stones that have a certain meaning to me. For other dreamers, these symbols can mean something completely different, and for me to say that this symbol has a certain meaning can refrain you from your truth.
In the back of my dream journal, I have a whole section on symbols and what they mean to me.
How to remember your dreams
Although I have recorded my dreams for many years, I do not always remember them. I think that one would go mad if you’d remember everything! And sometimes, I am too tired or busy to write down my dream. The trick is not to feel bad about it.
But, it all comes down to discipline. Nearly every morning, I grab my dream journal and start writing. One technique is very helpful when one does not have a clue what one has been dreaming of. You start by writing down the date and then “Tonight I was dreaming about…”. Nine out of ten times, I remember a part of the dream and then another part but wait! I then lost my cell phone (symbol!). The whole dream unravels right on paper.
The meaning of dreams
What do dreams mean? That for each of us to figure out for yourself. What I do is to describe how I felt in my dream and what it means. I was quite distressed when I lost my cell phone at the airport while on my way to Africa the other night. I then try to find parallels from my dream experience with this world. What do I have to do to be more aware? In the case of my lost cell phone: it helps me communicate and keeps track of my itinerary. I learned that I need to communicate more with people and ask for help instead of trusting a device.
How to dream more consciously
Every night, before sleeping, I say an affirmation in the form of: “Tonight, I go to a place where I can learn or be of service” or “Tonight, I am meeting x and y to talk about (an issue).”
Last night, I told myself that I would work on the very blog you’re reading right now. I have a list of many subjects to write about. Tonight, I was wondering what the best subject would be for now?
In my dream, I was working in a big quiet writing hall. Other writers were sitting next to me. I do not know what they were writing, but at one point, they asked to share what I had written. We talked about what I should add or leave out.
At first, I was reluctant to share my writings about dreams in the dream world and with you. Then, I became excited about it because I have so much to tell about this subject. It helps me reach my goals, understand what is happening in life, and let go of things. This enables me to live a more effective, enthusiastic, and fulfilled with love.
Protection in dreams
Then, I woke up in the middle of the night. The wind was howling. I had difficulty getting back to sleep because I was so excited about my dream that I wanted to get out of bed and start writing. Instead, I told myself that I would remember this dream, and I fell back to sleep. I was back in the writing hall.
My writing companions urged me to add one more thing to this article: to tell you that you’re always protected in your dreams. Nothing can happen to you. If you are in a tight spot, call upon your friends, your loved ones, or your spiritual guide for assistance.
More practical tips for better dreaming
If you’ve read more of my blogs, you know that I am a practical guy. This also applies to dreaming. I have given you some tips on how to dream, remember dreams, and understand them better. I do have the following extra tips for you to work more consciously with your dreams:
- Refrain from drinking alcohol in the evening (it clouds me).
- Make sure that there are several hours between a large meal and bedtime.
- Go to the bathroom (and do no.1 and no.2) before going to bed.
- Have a pen and paper next to your bed. Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night and write down just one word. This word is often the key to remember an entire dream!
- Breathe calmly and slowly (5 seconds in, 5 seconds hold, 5 seconds out, 2 seconds wait, and then again 5 seconds in,…).
- Share your dream with your family at the breakfast table. From time to time, I ask my sons what they have been dreaming about after telling them my dream. It’s a wonderful way to start the day. In some cultures in the Pacific, this is a daily routine.
- Go on vacation. I dream so much clearer when I am on a trip. Perhaps it’s because I am more relaxed and have more time to write everything down.
Dreams are real and can help you live your purpose more consciously, be more effective, happy, and have more clarity, compassion, and experience more love.
If you want to take up dreaming to the next level, you might want to check this website. It has been a priceless help throughout my life.
Do you dream? How do you remember your dreams, and do they help you in your life? Let me know in the comment field below. The other readers of this article and I are looking forward to reading from you!
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