Some of My Latest Experiences and My Thoughts Concerning Them
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: (Joel 2:28)
Combining the different LifeFlow tracks with my daily practice of meditation has become a regular practice in my life. My preferred type of meditation is a surrender type of meditation called
centering prayer. Centering prayer is based upon the writings and practices that come out of the Christian contemplative tradition.
One of the results that I’m noticing since establishing meditation as a regular practice in my life is that I am remembering my dreams more clearly and in more detail when I wake up. Research shows that dreaming is essential for our spiritual and emotional health. When research subjects were repeatedly woken up when they began their R.E.M. (rapid eye movement) cycles and not allowed to dream, it was only a matter of a few days before they started experiencing extreme wellness breakdown. Apparently—whether we remember the details or not—there is valuable information being communicated during one’s dreams which is essential to one’s health and evolutionary development.
For the last couple of months, I have been recording the memories of my dreams when I wake up. From these notes, I type up my
“dream journal” that I am keeping. Much of the symbolism in dreams has universal application. Hence, that is why “dream dictionaries” that can be found on line
may be a useful tool to aid in interpreting one’s dreams.
In interpreting my own dreams, I am finding that pausing to reflect on the dream, or dreams, as a whole and then writing down some common themes is proving helpful in learning and growing from my dreams. In addition, I am finding that considering that the characters that appear in my dreams maybe—and most often ARE—reflections of aspects of myself that I have been shunning or ignoring. This common human tendency reminds me of this poem by Rumi:
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice.
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
-- Jelaluddin Rumi (1207-1273)
translation by Coleman Barks
Reflecting upon my own dreams and what I’m experiencing through listening and becoming more aware of them moves me to share the following excerpts:
That which irritates me in others reflects the lies I continue to believe about myself. (Keith Jensen)
And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye. (Matthew 7:3-5)
Let me forget my brother's past today.
This is the thought that leads the way to You, and brings me to my goal. I cannot come to You without my brother. And to know my Source, I first must recognize what You created one with me. My brother's is the hand that leads me on the way to You. His sins are in the past along with mine, and I am saved because the past is gone. Let me not cherish it within my heart, or I will lose the way to walk to You. My brother is my savior. Let me not attack the savior You have given me. But let me honor him who bears Your Name, and so remember that It is my own.
Forgive me, then, today. And you will know you have forgiven me if you behold your brother in the light of holiness. He cannot be less holy than can I, and you can not be holier than he. (A Course in Miracles, Textbook for Students, Lesson 288 of 365)
Perhaps some of the readers on this forum will find it useful to read my latest dream. I believe that we should listen and learn to hear the messages of our dreams more clearly. It is a skill which can be developed just like any other skill. (Note. The portions in
blue font are “possible” definitions from a “dream dictionary” that I found useful.) Thank you for allowing me to share. –Keith
Keith’s Dreams of Saturday / Sunday, May 9th & 10th:
The main themes of these dreams are:
a) Being so busy trying to get “everything” done that I’ve exhausted myself,
b) Forgetting to slow down and notice and spend time with loved ones,
a) Being concerned about issues of security,
b) Feeling unnoticed and forgotten,
c) Wanting to cry,
d) Wanting to share joyful things I’m discovering and experiencing,
e) Wanting to be understood as I attempt to describe my “wonderful & chaotic” journey, AND
f) Feeling like a brave—and slightly defiant—little boy who has to do “it” his way.
Part One of Three: I find that we are at my good friend Jonathan Morrell's brother's place in St. George. We are planning on going to the Dixie State College campus for a visit. Jonathan offers to drive us all there in his old pickup truck.
Pick-Up Truck
To see a pick-up truck in your dream, represents hard work. It also suggests the need to return to the basics.
The only problem is that this truck doesn't have a Dixie I.D., so we won't be able to park for free on campus.
Parking Lot
To dream that you cannot find a parking space, indicates your inability to find your place in life. You may still be on your quest to find your talent or niche where you belong. Alternatively, it may reflect your busy life and the lack of time you have.
Concerning parking on campus, I wonder if the Episcopal Church might have a presence on campus similar to how the LDS Church does. I figure that way we might be able to park there for free. I find that there is a part of me both in my dreams and in my waking hours that wants to share with others the sense of home and belonging that I have found in this church. This discovery is as surprising to me as it is to others.
My friend Jonathan finds out that it will only cost $5.00 for us to park his truck on campus for four hours.
Friend
To see friends in your dream, signifies aspects of your personality that you have rejected, but are ready to incorporate and acknowledge these rejected aspects of yourself. The relationships you have with those around you are important in learning about yourself. Additionally, this symbol foretells of happy tidings from them and the arrival of good news.
Divided equally among the four of us that will only be $1.25 each. Then I think:
“Oh, good grief! What am I thinking? Here we are staying at Jonathan's place, eating his food, and using his old pickup; and I'm worrying about a measly $5.00—somehow the place we were staying at had transitioned from being Jonathan's brother's to being his place.
I can and will pay for the parking myself.”
Part Two of Three (Recorded 0538 to 0602 AM): I'm working on a project for another office or area on campus at UVU. I’m feeling so busy and rushed trying to get everything done that I want to do. At times, I feel irritated when other people’s stuff gets in the way of all I want to—and often feel that I “need” to—do. I come back to my office to let my people know where I'll be working. There are only Elizabeth, the office manager, and one of our student workers at the front desk.
Girls
To see a girl in your dream, represents your playful, innocent, and childlike nature. Perhaps you are behaving immaturely in some situation. Alternatively, a girl represents the feminine qualities of your character.
I let them know that I will be working on a project next door. I recognize the female student worker at the front desk, but for some reason her name totally slips my mind.
At first, I'm just going to take off and act like I haven't forgotten her name.
Name
To dream that you forget your name or someone else's name, suggests that you be feeling overwhelmed and burdened. It may also indicate that you have forgotten your true self or your family roots.
But then I pause and walk back. I say:
“I'm so sorry, but for some reason your name has completely slipped my mind. Would you please tell me it again?”
I remember that she had the feel of Emily, a cute brown haired girl who works for us. But unlike Emily, this girl had blond hair and blue eyes.
Blond
To see a blond person in your dream, suggests that you need to enjoy life and live it up. Be a little glamorous.
When I came back and said,
“I’m so sorry,” this seemed to trigger some emotions in her. It was like she had felt that she was invisible and that no one even knew she existed. I distinctly remember her eyes. They were clear blue. I watched them become liquid-like as they filled with tears.
Crying
To see someone else crying in your dream, may be a projection of your own feelings onto someone else. If you do not cry in your waking life, then seeing someone else cry may be a little easier to deal with then seeing yourself cry.
Tears
To dream that others are in tears, indicates that you need to rethink your actions and how your behavior may be affecting those around you.
To see a teardrop in your dream, represents previous wisdom you have learned and remembered.
It really didn't surprise me when she replied:
“No. I'd prefer not to.”
She seemed to sense that I was truly sorry for forgetting her name and not noticing. Somehow, it was communicated to me that she was concerned about her
“insurance.” She was worried that she'd got the wrong type of insurance or not enough insurance or something like that. I basically just listened with my presence, not words, and let her know that I could empathize and that I cared that she was sad, hurting, and uncertain about “insurance” decisions she had made.
Insurance
To dream that you are buying insurance, refers to a lack of trust. You are afraid of losing something that means a lot to you. Alternatively, it represents your need for security.
In reflecting on this dream, I guess part of the reason that I wasn't triggered by her response of:
“No. I'd prefer not to,” was because I can relate to the need for time and space to heal when one has felt hurt and unnoticed. There is something that feels rushed and lacking in empathy when someone expects you to quickly forget and get over “it”—whatever “it” might be. It almost feels like “they” are hurrying you along and not understanding your need to fully feel and experience your feelings. This is kind of hard to explain. However, it is kind of like “they” have casually—and perhaps reluctantly—said:
“I’m sorry.” And now, “they” expect everything to immediately be all fine and dandy again.
Part Three of Three (Recorded 0703 to 0720 AM): In this part of my dream, I have a little boy of about three.
Boy
If you are an adult male and dream that you see or are a boy, then it suggests your playful, innocent, childlike nature. Alternatively, it can symbolize the immature aspects of yourself that still needs to grow. Your inner child may be trying to draw your attention to parts of yourself that you need to recognize and acknowledge.
Son
To see your son in your dream, signifies your ideal, hopes, potential, and the youthful part of yourself.
He reminded me of a combination of my brother Randy's sons.
He's such a good “little man.” He's hardly any trouble at all. He pretty much just plays by himself. Most of my energy has been being put into another “child” of mine—a “child” who has some problems and REALLY needs my time and attention.
I notice this son as he's heading out to play. It looks like he has dressed himself. The “little man” isn't dressed properly to go out to play. It has the feel that he has no shirt on.
Shirt
To dream of a shirt, refers to your emotions or some emotional situation. The shirt you wear reveals your attitude and level of consciousness about a particular situation.
To dream that you are giving a shirt to someone, may be a metaphor or "giving the shirt off your back" and refers to your self-sacrifice and generosity.
To dream that you are shirtless or that you lost your shirt, signifies financial worry, monetary lost or risky endeavor.
T-Shirt
To see or wear a T-shirt in your dream, suggests that you need to take it easy and relax. Alternatively it may represent your honesty especially in your personal relationships. Consider also if there is a design or saying on the t-shirt.
Looking at him about to head out, I remember thinking:
“What a sweet little boy.”
I called out,
“Hey. Wait a minute buddy.”
I go over to him, kneel down, and while pulling a light blue shirt on over his sweet little head, I hug him to my chest and whisper in his ear:
“I love you. You are such a good boy. I'm so proud of you. I'm so happy you're my son.”
He had soft blond hair and blue eyes.
After I pulled the light blue T-shirt on him, I notice that a dark blue button up shirt had appeared over it—
or did he always have this shirt on and I had just failed to notice it?
Blue
Blue represents truth, wisdom, heaven, eternity, devotion, tranquility, loyalty and openness. Perhaps you are expressing a desire to get away. The presence of this color in your dream, may symbolize your spiritual guide and your optimism of the future. You have clarity of mind.
Depending on the context of your dream, the color blue may also be a metaphor of "being blue" and feeling sad.
At first, I thought it was one of my dress shirts he'd put on. Just a for the briefest and most fleeting of a second, I was a little perturbed that he'd got into some of my “stuff” without my permission. But then I looked closer and noticed that it wasn't one of my dress shirts. It was one of his mom’s, Kim, shirts. He'd put it on himself. It was so big on him that the long sleeves hung down past his little hands and the bottom of the shirt hung almost to the floor. He was so proud of dressing himself—and interesting to say a little defiant too. Kind of like:
“Just you try to make me take this shirt off.”
Dreams
thanx for link Pan!
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